§ Mr. CAPORNasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he can obtain and supply figures showing the estimated saving in public assistance, unemployment, and transitional benefits, and to approved societies, if all employed persons were entitled to a contributory pension of £1 per week on retirement at the age of 65 or over?
§ Major ELLIOTIt would be impossible, without very considerable labour which I do not think I should be justified in authorising, to estimate the savings in the directions specified in the question from a scheme such as my hon. Friend has in mind. In any event, the immediate effect would be one of vastly increased cost whatever figure were allowed for reductions in certain directions.
1646Wother ranks, respectively, serving in the Army pay offices in Great Britain on 1st January, 1929;
(2) what was the number of officers, warrant officers, and other ranks, respectively, serving in Army pay offices abroad on 1st January, 1929?
§ Mr. COOPERThe information is as follows:—
§ Mr. CAPORNasked the Minister of Health the amount by which the weekly contribution in respect of employed persons now aged 25 and under would have to be increased to enable a pension of £l per week to be paid on retirement at the age of 65 years or over to such persons; and the average yearly cost to the country during the next 40 years if such scheme were introduced in respect of all employed persons?
Sir H. YOUNGI regret that the information asked for is not immediately available. It could be obtained only by extensive calculations and I could not, in present circumstances, justify the expense which would be so incurred.