§ Mr. FREEMANasked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury (1) whether be can state the annual cost of providing a pension of 10s. a week to all widows in need, with or without children, who do not come within the existing Acts of Parliament;
(2) whether he can state the annual cost of providing a pension of 10s. a week to all unmarried women in need over 60 years who do not come within the present Acts of Parliament?
§ Mr. PETHICK-LAWRENCEThe cost of extending pensions, at the rate of 10s. a week, to all widows, and to all unmarried women over 60 years of age, is 1789W estimated to exceed £21 millions a year. The amount of the reduction in this figure to be expected from the imposition of a test as to need must depend upon the definition of need adopted, but an estimate on this point would in any case be wholly conjectural in the absence of any data as to the means of individuals. Whatever might be the direct cost of the proposals, it is evident that the grant of free pensions in these cases would make it difficult, if not impossible, to continue the present contributory basis of the pensions system. The contributions for pensions other than the State contribution amount at present to about £24 millions a year.