§ Mrs. Chalkerasked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many people currently defer retirement; and how many of them are married.
§ Mr. OrmeThe latest estimate is that about 135,000 people are deferring retirement and not drawing the pension for which they have themselves contributed. About 75,000 of them are married men whose wives are not pensioners in their 349W own right and whose retirement will, therefore, give rise to a wife's benefit also. These figures exclude people over pension age who are drawing an invalidity rather than a retirement pension.
§ Mrs. Chalkerasked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many fewer people he estimates would defer retirement if the earnings rule limit were raised to £50 per week; and how many of these would be married.
§ Mr. OrmeIt is estimated that there would be, on average, about 35,000 fewer people deferring retirement in 1977–78 if the earnings rule limit were £50 a week than if the limit remains at £35 increased in line with earnings as proposed in the Social Security (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill. About 15,000 of these 35,000 would be married men whose wives were not in receipt of pensions on their own contributions.