§ Mr. Lawrenceasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what would be the cost to the Exchequer of raising the age limit of eligibility for non-contributory invalidity pension to (a) 65 years and (b) any age, and subjecting it to a means test.
§ Mr. RossiIt is estimated that the cost of raising the age limit for women to 65, as it already is for men, would be about £2 milliom on the assumption that the existing rules for entitlement to and payment of non-contributory invalidity pension were otherwise unchanged. There would be little difference in cost between this change and the complete abolition of the age limit, because for most people who become incapable of work after the age of 65 retirement pension is payable either in their own right or as dependants of pensioners. The savings from any means test for non-contributory invalidity pension would depend on the income scale adopted.
§ Mr. Patrick McNair-Wilsonasked the Secretary of State for Social Services when the review of the non-contributory invalidity pension will be completed.