§ Mr. Oakesasked the Minister of Social Security (1) how many widows who receive only partial benefit because their husbands failed to pay the requisite average of contributions receive supplementary benefit; and what is the cost of such benefit annually;
(2) how many widows under 50 years of age are in receipt of supplementary benefit; and what is the amount paid in such benefit annually;
(3) how many women have applied for a widows' benefit on the presumption of death of their husband; and how many such women have been granted widows' benefit during each of last five years.
§ Miss HerbisonI regret this information is not available.
§ Mr. Oakesasked the Minister of Social Security if she will seek to reform and humanise the basis of qualification for widows' benefit.
§ Miss HerbisonAs I have said before, the conditions for widow's benefit are being looked at in the Government's review of the social services.
§ Mr. Oakesasked the Minister of Social Security if she will instigate a survey of poverty among widows who fail to qualify for benefit or for full benefit.
§ Miss HerbisonThe need for further information about the circumstances of widows will be taken into account in deciding what research should be carried out by my Department and what the priorities are.
§ Mr. Oakesasked the Minister of Social Security (1) how many widows applied for benefit but were refused on the ground that they had been married for less than three years during each of the last five years;
(2) how many widows have been refused widows' benefit because they are under 50 years of age during each of the last five years.
§ Miss HerbisonI regret that the precise information requested is not available. It is estimated that out of some 84–89,000 widows who received widow's allowance4W in each of the last five years for which figures are available, the total numbers who had no succeeding widow's benefit were as follows:
The benefits for the first six months of widowhood, widow's allowance and the earnings-related widow's special allowance, are payable irrespective of the widow's age or the duration of her marriage.
1961 … … … … 3,400 1962 … … … … 3,500 1963 … … … … 3,800 1964 … … … … 3,700 1965 … … … … 3,700
§ Mr. Oakesasked the Minister of Social Security whether widows' benefit is granted in all cases to an otherwise qualified applicant when a high court decree of presumption of death has been obtained.
§ Miss HerbisonWhether a woman can establish title to widows' benefit, depends on the determining authorities being satisfied on the evidence before them that the husband is, or may be presumed to be, dead. These authorities might on occasion reach a conclusion on the question of presumed death different from a decision of the High Court, for example, where there was later evidence that the husband was alive.
§ Mr. Oakesasked the Minister of Social Security what percentage of widows in receipt of benefit does not qualify for full benefit because their husband failed to pay at least 50 National Insurance contributions during each year of his working life.
§ Miss HerbisonAbout 6 per cent. of widows in receipt of benefit do not qualify for the full rate because the yearly average of contributions paid by or credited to the husband was less than 50.
§ Mr. Oakesasked the Minister of Social Security how many widows have had their benefit terminated during each of the last five years because their children ceased to be dependent within the meaning of the regulations.
§ Miss HerbisonFigures of terminations of widowed mothers allowance for the four years 1963 to 1966 are given below. 5W I regret that similar figures for 1962 are not available.
W.M.A.* W.M.A. (Personal)† 1963 … … 140 330 1964 … … 140 270 1965 … … 120 320 1966 … … 90 390 * Terminated because the children in respect of whom the allowance was payable ceased to be dependent. † Terminated because the sons and daughters whose presence at home qualified mothers for W.M.A. (Personal) left home or reached the age of 19.