§ 33. Mr. Peter Emeryasked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance what would be the cost of abolishing the earnings rule for all widows' pensions.
§ Mrs. Thatcher£7 million a year for all widows' benefits, on the assumption that the present earnings rule would continue to be applied to a widow beneficiary on becoming a retirement pensioner.
§ 39. Mr. F. Taylorasked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance how many widowed mothers are affected by the earnings rule; and if he will take steps to relieve them from the deductions at present being made from their pensions because their earnings exceed £5 a week.
§ Mrs. ThatcherThere are some 150,000 widowed mothers of whom it is estimated that about 20,000 have their4W allowances affected by the earnings rule at any one time. As regards the second part of the Question my right hon. Friend has no proposals to make.