§ Mr. Meacherasked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many retired occupational pensioners have drawn unemployment benefit regularly prior to their reaching the age of 65 for each year since 1965; and what is the annual value of the total unemployment benefit granted to them for each of these years.
§ Mr. DeanInformation about the number of occupational pensioners claiming unemployment benefit is not available on an annual basis. A special enquiry carried out in July, 1966 for the National Insurance Advisory Committee showed that there were then some 24,000 occupational pensioners between 60 and 65 registered as unemployed. The290W Committee estimated that the cost of the unemployment benefit paid to those with pensions of £10 a week or more was of the order of £ million a year. Sample counts have indicated a subsequent rise in the number to some 45,000 in January, 1969, and about 52,000 in January, 1971, but no more recent estimate of cost is available.