§ Mr. Ovendenasked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many widows forfeited their pension in 1974 because of the operation of the cohabitation rule.
§ Mr. O'MalleyI assume that my hon. Friend has in mind national insurance and industrial injuries widows' pensions. There were 1,023 forfeitures of the former and 58 of the latter in 1974.
§ Mr. Ovendenasked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many women were refused supplementary benefit in 1974 because of the operation of the cohabitation rule; and from how many benefit granted was subsequently withdrawn because of this rule.
§ Mr. O'MalleyIt is estimated that benefit was refused in about 2,700 cases and withdrawn in about 5,300 cases.