§ Mr. Snapeasked the Secretary of State for Social Services if she will consider amending paragraph 25 of Schedule 2 (Part III) to the Ministry of Social Security Act 1966 so that in assessing a resident's ability to pay for his or her accommodation, £1 per week of any national insurance retirement pension to which he or she may be entitled above the basic rate, is disregarded.
§ Mr. Alec JonesNo. I think it right that the same principle should apply in the assessment of ability to pay for residential accommodation as in the assessment of elegibility for supplementary benefit, namely that national insurance retirement pension should be taken fully into account. To apply a disregard in either case would be, in effect, to make provision twice from public funds.