HC Deb 22 July 1968 vol 769 cc11-2W
Mr. Brooks

asked the Minister of Social Security how many retirement pensioners are resident in Birkenhead and Bebington, respectively; and what proportion of such pensioners were in

the extent of the State's total commitment in respect of accumulated claims; and if she will publish a table showing the numbers of men and women contributors, spread over the ranges of their weekly earnings.

Mr. Pentland

The number of employed adults not contracted out of the graduated pensions scheme is estimated to be about 9¾ million men and 6½ million women; about 4½ million men and ¾ million women are contracted out of it.

The total sum which the National Insurance Fund is liable to pay in graduated pension benefits by virtue of graduated contributions paid so far is estimated at about £2,600 million.

The following table gives the available information about earnings in the 1966–67 Income Tax year of persons not contracted out who paid at least 48 Class 1 contributions.

receipt of supplementary benefits in the mid-summer of each year since 1964 inclusive.

Mr. Pentland

I regret that the information requested is not available. This is because the Ministry's records of retirement pensioners are filed centrally at Newcastle-upon-Tyne for Great Britain as a whole and not for localities.