§ Mr. Alfred Morrisasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what would be the additional cost of raising the age limit in clause 4 of the Health and Social Services Bill from 20 years to (a) 25, (b) 30, (c)35, (d) 40, (e) 45, (f) 50, (g) 55, and (h) 60 years.
§ Mr. NewtonIt is estimated that the additional cost of raising the age limit to 60 years would be around £275 million a year. I regret that sufficient information is not available to provide a reasonable estimate of the costs of raising the age limit to the intervening levels.
§ Mr. Alfred Morrisasked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many of the persons referred to in each category of the reply to the right hon. Member for Manchester, Wythenshawe, on 20 January, Official 261W Report, c. 335, will be affected by the 80 per cent. disablement test proposed in clause 4 of the Health and Social Security Bill.
§ Mr. NewtonNone. All those already receiving noncontributory invalidity pension or housewives' non-contributory invalidity pension on the date of introduction of severe disablement allowance will automatically transfer to the new allowance. Those drawing invalidity benefit would not normally be entitled to receive severe disablement allowance.
If the right hon. Member seeks an analysis of new recipients of severe disablement allowance by age-group, I regret that the information is not available.