§ Mr. TINKERasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will give consideration to amending the National Health Insurance Act so as to enable wives of insured contributors to draw a pension when the husband reaches 65 years of age even though they may not have reached that age themselves?
§ Mr. W. S. MORRISONAs the hon. Member is aware, similar proposals have been made in the past from time to time but it has not been found possible to adopt them.
§ Mr. TINKERasked the Minister of Health whether he is aware that many persons in a small business of their own are anxious to become contributors to the national health insurance scheme for the purpose of becoming entitled to a pension at the age of 65; and will he examine this question to see if it can be made workable?
§ Sir K. WOODThe Government have indicated their intention of introducing a scheme of voluntary insurance for pensions purposes. The details of this scheme are now under consideration, but it is intended that the scheme shall be 571W open to certain classes of persons, including the class referred to by the hon. Member, which are outside the scope of the compulsory scheme.