Mr. R. Duckworthasked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury the number of old age pensioners over 70 and the usual expectancy of life after that age, as shown in the returns in the possession of his Department?
§ Lieut.-Colonel ColvilleThe number of old age pensioners over 70 in Great Britain on 31st March last was 1,706,000 (702,000 men and 1,004,000 women). The statistics in the possession of the Departments do not enable the expectation of life of old age pensioners to be computed but there is no reason to believe that it differs appreciably from that of the general population. I am not clear in what sense my hon. Friend uses the expression "usual expectancy of life after that age." On the basis of the National Life Tables, compiled after the census of 1931, the expectation of life of a person at the age of 70 is estimated to be 8.6 years in the case of a man, and 10.0 years in the case of a woman.