§ Mr. Bishopasked the Minister of Social Security what is her estimate of the cost of lowering to 60 years the age at which retirement pensions are paid.
§ Mrs. HartThe additional expenditure on National Insurance benefit would depend on what consequential changes were made in the other retirement pension conditions, including the earnings rule, but it could be up to £450 million a year if the pattern of retirement among men aged 60 to 65 followed the present pattern of retirement among men aged 65 to 70. There would also be a considerable loss of contribution income.