§ 84. Mr. Edelmanasked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance what reply he has sent to the letter from the National Federation of Old-Age Pensions Associations, dated 17th November, 1954, concerning the raising of the pension rate.
§ Mr. Doddsasked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance what reply he has sent to the communication, dated 17th November, which he has received from the Secretary of the Old-Age Pensioners Association concerning evidence of the standard of living of old people.
§ Mr. MarplesThe Federation wrote on the 17th November to say that some budgets were being sent to my right hon. Friend under separate cover, and its letter has been acknowledged.
Mr. H. Wilsonasked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance the number of old-age pensioners in Liverpool and St. Helens who are in receipt of supplementary assistance from the National Assistance Board.
§ Mr. MarplesMost of the Board's areas in Liverpool and the area in St. Helens extend beyond the confines of those county boroughs. The precise figures asked for are not, therefore, available, but the Board estimates roughly that the number of regular weekly grants of National Assistance that are being paid in Liverpool to supplement retirement and non-contributory old-age pensions is rather more than 18,000 and in St. Helens rather more than 2,100. Some of the grants cover the needs of a household which includes more than one pensioner.