HC Deb 05 May 1958 vol 587 c77W
51. Mrs. White

asked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance how many widowed mothers are now drawing allowances; how many have deductions made on account of earnings; and what is the total amount of such allowances and the total of such deductions.

Mr. Boyd-Carpenter

There are about 140,000 widowed mothers drawing allowances of whom about 25,000 have deductions made on account of earnings. The total cost of allowances is now about £25 million a year. The total amount deducted under the earnings rule is a little less than £2 million a year.

Dame Irene Ward

asked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance whether, in view of the continuing unsatisfactory working of the earnings rule for widowed mothers, in particular, he will now invite his National Advisory Committee to reconsider this whole question.

Mr. Boyd-Carpenter

The earnings rules for benefits were fully reviewed by the National Insurance Advisory Committee only two years ago and I should not feel justified in asking them to review the matter again at this stage.

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