§ LORD AMULREEasked His Majesty's Government how many men and women of pensionable age are (1) retired; (2) in full-time employment; (3) in part-time employment to an extent sufficient to cause a deduction from their pension.
1323WA
§ LORD CHORLEYI regret that information in the form asked for by the noble Lord is not available, but the following figures may be of assistance to him.
(1) About 3,500,000 persons are in receipt of retirement pensions under the National Insurance Act. But the number who have actually retired from employment is not known, as the figure includes about 600,000 married women pensioned in right of their husband's insurance, most of whom were not gainfully employed when they reached pensionable age, and a number of men over 70 and women over 65 who were not required formally to retire in order to get the pension.
(2) About 300,000 men under 70, and the same number of women under 65, 1324WA who qualified for an old age pension before 5th July, 1948, have not yet given notice of retirement. In general it is estimated that 64 per cent. of men and 50 per cent. of women who might claim retirement pensions do not retire on reaching pensionable age.
(3) About 5,200 declarations of earnings a week are received from pensioners under 70 (women under 65) but it is not known how many are following full-time and how many part-time employment. The total number of pensions in payment at a reduced rate by reason of earnings is not available. Pensioners over 70 (women 65) are not required to declare their earnings.
House adjourned at ten minutes before seven o'clock.