§ Dr. ADDISONasked the Minister of Health whether he can state the approximate additional cost that would be incurred if the wives of men who become entitled to old age pensions at the age of 65 were to become entitled to pensions at the same time as their husbands; and, further, if he can say what the approximate cost would be if the extension of the pension to the wife were limited to the cases in which the wife was not more than 10 years younger than her husband?
Mr. CHAMBERLAINIt is not possible to make the calculations necessary to answer this question in the time available, but perhaps the right hon. Gentleman will find the figures in a reply I gave on the 12th February, 1935, to the hon. Member for Wallsend (Miss Ward), (of which I am sending him a copy), sufficient for his purpose.