§ Mr. W. R. Duckworthasked the Minister of Health whether he will state the numbers who have hitherto availed themselves of the voluntary pensions insurance scheme; the total number of contributors on whom the finance of the scheme was actuarially based; and whether he proposes once again to bring the scheme to the notice of the public?
§ Mr. ElliotAs regards the first part of the question the number of persons who had become voluntary contributors under the Contributory Pensions (Voluntary Contributors) Act, 1937, up to the 19th October last, the latest date for which the figures are available was 233,025. As regards the second part, the Government Actuary in his report on the Financial Provisions of the Bill pointed out that it was entirely a matter of conjecture what proportion of the persons eligible would elect to enter the scheme and gave alternative estimates of the charge which would be imposed on the Exchequer (1) if the number of entrants were 350,000 and (2) if that number were doubled. As regards the third part, a new illustrated 391W booklet and poster, stressing the importance of early application, are being displayed and distributed through the Post Office and through other channels. Attention is also being drawn to the scheme through the Press and the wireless as also by a stand at Olympia this month. My Inspectors are taking every opportunity to make the scheme more widely known. Copies of the booklet and poster have been sent to hon. Members for English and Welsh constituencies and I am sure I can rely on hon. Members to do all they can to see that their constituents do not delay their applications until it is too late.