§ 81. Mr. Lewisasked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance to state the cost of granting to all old-age pensioners a lump sum of 86s. 8d. in the case of a single pensioner and 158s. 8d. in the case of a married couple to compensate them for the average loss in the purchasing value of their pensions since October, 1951, due to the increased cost of living.
§ Mr. PeakeAs a matter of arithmetic, it would cost nearly £19 million to pay 86s. 8d. to each single pensioner and 158s. 8d. to each married couple. I cannot, however, agree that these amounts have any practical significance.
§ 83. Mr. Gowerasked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance to state the number of retirement pensioners in Barry; the approximate number who will receive the maximum increase of 11s. per week for a married couple; and how many will receive the maximum increase of 7s. 6d. per week for a single person after the implementation of the National Insurance Act, 1954.
§ 84. Mr. Gowerasked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance to state the total number of retirement pensioners in Wales; the approximate number who will receive the maximum increase of 11s. per week for a married couple; and how many will receive the maximum increase of 7s. 6d. per week for a single person, after the implementation of the National Insurance Act, 1954.
§ Mr. PeakeThere are about 235,000 retirement pensioners in Wales; rather more than 45,000 married couples will receive the increase of 11s.; and about 140,000 pensioners, including wives on their own insurance, will get 7s. 6d.
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88. Mrs. Jegerasked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance how many pensioners will benefit only to the extent of 2s. 6d. weekly as a result of pension increases; and what steps he proposes to alleviate hardship among them.
§ Mr. PeakeIt is estimated that of the retirement pensioners receiving supplementary assistance about 700,000 are single persons whose assistance rate has been increased by 2s. 6d. a week and whose total income will not be increased further when the new pension rates come into force. I cannot accept the view that persons receiving assistance on the new rates recently approved by Parliament are suffering hardship.
§ Mr. G. Thomasasked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance (1) to state the total number of retirement pensioners in Cardiff; the number who will receive a net increase of 2s. 6d. a week in their income as a result of the National Assistance Regulations approved by Parliament in December, 1954; and the comparative figures for persons in receipt of a non-contributory pension;
(2) the number of old-age pensioners in Wales who will receive an addition of 2s. 6d. a week in their, income as a result of the Government's National Assistance Regulations approved in December, 1954.