§ Mr. Blakerasked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance what would be the net cost to public funds 100W of introducing a State pension for persons chronically disabled, but not eligible for retirement or service disability pensions or industrial injury benefits, if the pension were paid at the same rate as the current retirement pension, with proportionate reductions for less than 100 per cent. disability, and were treated as taxable income.
§ Mr. Evelyn Kingasked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance if she will estimate the number of severely disabled persons who are in receipt of no pension; and if she will estimate the cost to the Exchequer if they were to be granted a pension at a level comparable to that paid to a person whose disablement derives from an industrial injury.
§ Mr. PentlandI regret that there is not sufficient information on which to make such estimates, but the cost would clearly be high.