§ Mr. Deanasked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance what would be the annual cost of providing a pension of 30s. a week through the National Insurance Scheme to those widows who at present are unable to qualify for widow's pension.
§ Mr. PentlandThe annual cost to the National Insurance Fund of providing such a pension to widows under pension age would be about £3 million. For the reasons given in the Answer which I gave to the hon. Member for Inverness (Mr. Russell Johnston) on 14th February, it is not possible to state a figure for widows over pension age.