§ Mr. George Cunninghamasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is his current estimate of the average period of deferment of retirement beyond retirement age in the case of (a) those who have paid national insurance contributions mainly as employees and (b) those who have contributed mainly as self-employed, respectively; and what information is available on differential take up of other national insurance fund benefits by these two groups.
§ Mr. OrmeDuring the six months up to 31st May 1976, the latest period for which information is available, the average period of deferment of retirement beyond minimum pension age was nine months. I am afraid that no breakdown is available between those who spent their working lives primarily in employment and in self-employment; nor are there separate figures relating to these categories for the take-up of other national insurance benefits, besides pensions, by people over minimum retirement age.