§ Mr. RHYS DAVIESasked the Minister of Health if he will give the ratio of State contribution towards the national health and widows', orphans' and old age pensions insurance schemes, respectively) based on each £l benefit payable or on any other unit of calculation?
§ Sir K. WOODAs the hon. Member is aware, the State contribution towards 237W the National Health Insurance system is two-ninths of the expenditure on benefits, exclusive of the cost of central administration; including this item, the State contribution is just over one-quarter. It is estimated that the State contribution to the new pensions system will be equal, on the average, to one-quarter of the expenditure on benefits in the first 10 years of the scheme, and that, after this period, it will be approximately two-fifths of the expenditure.