HC Deb 20 October 1969 vol 788 cc153-4W
Mr. Thorpe

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will seek to amend the law to enable persons who fall short of the necessary quota of annual contributions to receive pension at the full rate on paying six times the amount the contribution is in arrears.

Mr. Ennals

The regular payment of contributions is an important aspect of the national insurance scheme and there are already generous time limits within which arrears of national insurance contributions may be paid. The purchase of retirement pension by lump sums paid when retirement age had already been achieved would be inconsistent with the structure of the scheme.