HC Deb 29 November 1946 vol 430 cc377-8W
Mr. Carson

asked the Minister of National Insurance what would be the approximate cost of raising the old age pension for a single person to£2 and for a married couple pro rata.

Mr. Steele

The additional cost per annum at present under the existing pension scheme, and subject to all the conditions which now apply under that scheme, would be about £130 million, and would rise to about £170 million in 20 years' time. At that date the additional cost under the new pension scheme which is shortly to come into operation would be nearly £50 million a year greater. The consequential savings in supplementary pensions are estimated to be about £9 million a year.