§ Mr. Curranasked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance if he will state the additional cost of National Insurance widows' benefits for widowed mothers which has resulted from the increases made in their benefits since 1951.
§ Mr. WoodThe estimated cost of these benefits for widowed mothers and their children is £40 million in this financial 97W year. If the 1951 benefit rates and conditions still applied, the cost would be about £13 million. The increase is therefore £27 million, or more than 200 per cent.