§ General Sir IVOR PHILIPPSasked the Secretary to the Treasury what is the estimated total number of men and women in the United Kingdom who are seventy years of age and over, and how many of them receive old age pensions; what is the total estimated expenditure for the current year on old age pensions; and what would be the estimated cost of such pensions if every man and woman of seventy years of age and over were to receive a full pension unrestricted in amount by any of the conditions now depriving such 'persons of a whole or part of such pensions?
§ Mr. BALDWINThe total of the septuagenarian population of the United Kingdom, according to the census of 1911, was 1,519,612.
On the last Friday in 1917 (the latest date for which figures are available) the total number of old age pensioners was 948,582, and of these 938,123 were in receipt of the additional allowance of 2s. 6d. a week in addition to the pensions.
The total estimated expenditure on old age pensions and additional allowances for the current year (apart from the expenses of administration) is £12,035,000 for pensions and £6,017,500 for additional allowances.
If the total septuagenarian population on the 1911 figures were to receive the full pension and additional allowance, the yearly cost (apart from the expenses of administration) would be £29,632,434.