HC Deb 22 January 1963 vol 670 cc24-5W
Mr. Edward Gardner

asked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance whether he is aware that Mr. P. Clayton Gompertz, of Laindon, after paying full national insurance contribution's for 39 years, has been disallowed five days' sickness benefit by reason of the interruption of his insurable employment by 12 weeks' uninsurable employment in 1946–47; what effect this interruption will have upon Mr. Gompertz's future insurance rights and, in particular, upon his claim to full retirement pension; and what steps he can take to restore his entitlement to full rights.

Mr. N. Macpherson

I am aware of the circumstances in which the claim for sickness benefit made in 1961 was disallowed. The fact is that the gap in Mr. Gompertz's contribution's under the superseded Acts was one of nearly three years and not twelve weeks, and his insurance under those Acts came to an end in June 1947. Mr. Gompertz therefore entered insurance for national insurance purposes on 5th July, 1948, as one of the group of late-age entrants, to whom special terms were applied. Consequently he has had to be treated as having retired in 1958. Thereafter he became a pensioner and was no longer liable to pay national insurance contributions or entitled to sickness benefit. As with other men retirement pensioners under 70, his pension is subject to adjustment for earnings until his 70th birthday next May. He will then receive it in full and without this condition.

DISBURSEMENTS OF BILATERAL ECONOMIC AND TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE FROM UNITED KINGDOM GOVERNMENT FUNDS
£ million
1958–59 1959–60 1960–61 1961–62
(provisional)
Commonwealth countries (including colonial territories)
Loans … … … 32.4 50.8 66.6 70.6
Grants … … … 38.8 40.8 43.5 48.7
Technical assistance … … … 3.5 5.7 7.3 20.8
Total … … … 74.7 97.3 117.4 140.1
Other countries
Loans … … … 5.0 5.0 3.8 3.4
Grants … … … 5.7 7.2 8.6 10.3
Technical assistance … … … 0.6 0.9 1.0 1.3
Total … … … 11.3 13.1 13.4 15.0
Grand total … … … 86.0 110.4 130.8 155.1

Of this bilateral assistance, loans made to independent countries (both Commonwealth and foreign) under Section 3 of the Export Guarantees Acts, 1949–62 are formally tied to the purchase of United Kingdom goods and services. Disbursements under these loans in the years concerned accounted for the following proportion of bilateral assistance (the amount of the disbursements is shown in brackets.)

  • 1958–59–25 per cent. (£21.7 m.)
  • 1959–60–35 per cent. (£38.3 m.)
  • 1960–61–29 per cent. (£37.3 m.)
  • 1961–62–21 per cent. (£32.2 m.)

Where possible, we seek to ensure that other bilateral aid we provide is spent here, but much of it is used to finance local expenditure in the territories concerned.

Sir W. Robson-Brown

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will