§ Mr. Carsonasked 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. SteeleThe 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 scheme378W 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.