§ Mr. Kenneth Clarkeasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what changes in the full rate of National Insurance widow's benefit payable to a 50-year-old widow have been made in the last 10 years; what changes have been made in the threshold for income tax on such a widow with no dependent children or mortgage and life insurance commitments; and what effect these changes have had on the relationship between the two during this period.
§ Mr. O'MalleyThe table which follows compares the tax threshold for a single person in each of the tax years since 1965 with the amount of the standard rate widow's pension payable in each of those years:
(2) if she will take steps to ensure that appropriate disciplinary action is taken in any case where employees of the National Health Service decide to discriminate between various groups of patients and, in particular, to limit services supplied to those who make additional payments as private or amenity bed patients.
§ Dr. OwenDisciplinary action in the National Health Service is primarily the 175W responsibility of each employing authority, subject to the provisions of the General Whitley Council agreement. I understand that after careful consideration of this incident the area health authority has decided not to take disciplinary action.