§ Mr. Ridsdaleasked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance (1) what would be the cost of giving a Christmas bonus, as was done last year, to retirement pensioners;
22W(2) what would be the cost of giving a Christmas bonus, as was done last year, to those over 65, over 70, over 75, respectively, who are not in receipt of National Insurance pensions.
§ Miss HerbisonI take it that the hon. Member has in mind the special payments last December to people over retirement age receiving weekly allowances from the National Assistance Board. The cost of these payments was as follows:
For reasons which I have already explained to the House, there never was any intention of making payments of this kind a regular feature of the National Assistance scheme.
Cost of single payments of £4 to assistance recipients With retirement pensions 4.75 Without retirement pensions and over—65 0.65 70 0.55 75 0.45