§ Mr. Houghtonasked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance what estimated saving in National Assistance allowances will follow the introduction of higher retirement pensions on 1st April.
§ Mr. Boyd-Carpenter:As the hon. Member is aware, the new scales of National Assistance approved by Parliament will come into operation at the beginning of April simultaneously with the introduction of higher scales of retirement pension and other benefits. Taking into account all these changes, the cost of National Assistance in 1961–62 will be somewhat lower than in 1960–61. For details of this I would ask the hon. Member to await the publication of the National Assistance Board's Estimates.