§ Mr. Rookerasked the Secretary of State for Social Services if the £75 million estimated reduction in retirement pensions referred to in his answer to the hon. Member for Birmingham, Perry Barr, Official Report, 24 October, column 215–16, is to be transferred from the national insurance Vote to the Health Service Vote; and, if not, what arrangements are made in respect of this saving.
§ Mr. PrenticeNo. The extent to which benefits will not be paid out because of reduction when a beneficiary is in hospital is among the many factors taken into account when the level of national insurance contributions is being determined. There is thus no saving to the national insurance fund and the question of payments from that fund to the Health Service Vote does not arise.