§ LORD AMULREEasked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether they are aware that when a member of a family is discharged from hospital suffering from a terminal disease, another member of the family often has to cease full time employment and the payment of National Insurance contributions in order to nurse the case; and whether, in these circumstances, they are prepared to investigate methods whereby people in this situation may claim credits for their contributions and preserve their full pension rights.
§ LORD ABERDAREMy right honourable friend the Secretary of State for Social Services is aware of, and has considered, the problems that people sometimes have to face when they cease full-time employment in the circumstances mentioned, and that some of them have difficulty in keeping up their National Insurance contributions, but he has felt unable to arrange for contributions to be credited to them. The absence of contributions for a relatively short period does not normally prevent a person from qualifying for full retirement pension, and arrears can be made up when a person returns to work, subject to the usual time limits for payment of contributions.