§ 109. Mr. Sparksasked the Minister of National Insurance how many persons are now in receipt of retirement and old age pensions; the average period of time such pension is drawn and the average age of the recipients, as compared with 1938.
§ Mr. SteeleThe total number of persons in receipt of retirement or old age pensions is approximately 4,540,000. As retirement pensions only started to be drawn in October, 1946, it is not possible to state the average duration of such pensions. The only significant change in the average age of pensioners as compared with 1938 is that arising from the reduction of the pensionable age for women to 60 in 1940.