§ Sir George Youngasked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether she will list the provisions in the Social Security Act 1975 and the Social Security Pensions Bill which (a) give benefit to a man or woman where a woman or man in identical circumstances would not be entitled to that benefit, and (b) give benefit to a man or woman at a higher rate than benefit would be paid to a woman or man in identical circumstances.
§ Mr. O'MalleyI. The following provisions of the 1975 Act are not available to women in general, because of the earlier pension age for women:
- (i) Invalidity allowance where incapacity for work begins between ages 55 and 60.
- (ii) Death grant where the deceased was between 60 and 65 on 5th July 1948.
II. The following are not available to married women:
- (i) Category A retirement pension where the half-test is failed
- (ii) Category C and D retirement pension at the full rate
- (iii) Increase of retirement pension in respect of a spouse.
III. The following are not normally available to married women living with their husbands:
- (i) Unemployement and sickness benefit at the full rate
- (ii) Invalid care allowance
- (iii) Increases of benefit for dependants.
IV. The following are not available to men:
- (i) Maternity benefits
- (ii) Widowhood benefits (other than industrial death benefit)
163 - (iii) Category A retirement pension between the ages of 60 and 65
- (iv) Category A retirement pension based on a spouse's record
- (v) Category B retirement pension
- (vi) Category C retirement pension by virtue of a spouse's being of appropriate age
- (vii) Child's special allowance.
V. The following is not available to married men living with their wives:
Guardian's allowance.
The proposals in the Social Security Pensions Bill would eliminate II(i) and III(i) from this list, and would give some title to men under IV(ii)—in the form of an invalidity pension based on a late wife's earnings record—and under IV(iv) and (v).