§ Sir K. Josephasked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance what would be the approximate administrative economy resulting from an abolition of the retirement condition, the earnings rule and the increments system, and the substitution for them of an old-age pension similar in amount to the current retirement pension and payable at 60 for women and 65 for men.
§ Mr. Boyd-CarpenterThough it is not possible to give a precise estimate, I can say that, after taking account of the administrative cost of paying the larger number of pensioners, any net administrative saving would be very small in relation to the extra pensions expenditure which would be involved.
§ Sir K. Josephasked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance what he estimates would be the approximate net difference to the cost of retirement pensions in 1960, 1970, 1980 and 1990, respectively, if the retirement condition, the earnings rule and the increment system had all been abolished during 1958.
110W
§ Mr. Boyd-CarpenterAssuming that the retirement condition were abolished as from 1st April, 1958, and taking into account, on the one hand, the saving on sickness and unemployment benefits paid to people who are over pension age but not retired and, on the other hand, the extra pension cost and the loss of contribution income, the not extra cost would be £87 million in 1960–61, £81 million in 1970–71, £63 million in 1980–81 and £62 million in 1990–91.