Oral Answers to Questions — Pensions and National Insurance – in the House of Commons at 12:00 am on 16 November 1964.
Mr Julian Ridsdale
, Harwich
12:00,
16 November 1964
asked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance if she will abolish the earnings rule for pensioners.
Mr Julian Ridsdale
, Harwich
Could the right hon. Lady be more selective with regard to pensions increases? If there had not been a flat increase of pensions, surely there could have been a much wider relaxation in the earnings rules. How much would it have cost to put up the earnings rule from £5 to £6?
Miss Peggy Herbison
, Lanarkshire North
The hon. Gentleman is suggesting that some people who are to have flat-rate increases should not get them. That is the only conclusion one can reach from his supplementary question, because he has suggested that if we had saved money in that direction we could have done away with the earnings rule. The question of raising the amount at which the earnings rule applies will be considered by the Government.
Mr Eric Lubbock
, Orpington
Is it correct to say that under the present proposals the widow who reaches the age of 60 will suddenly cease to qualify for the abolition of the earnings rule and will, thereafter, have something deducted from her pension? What is the logic of that? Why should a widow at 60 suffer a sudden drop in income?
Miss Peggy Herbison
, Lanarkshire North
The hon. Gentleman is jumping to conclusions. I ask him to await publication of the Bill.
Ministers make up the Government and almost all are members of the House of Lords or the House of Commons. There are three main types of Minister. Departmental Ministers are in charge of Government Departments. The Government is divided into different Departments which have responsibilities for different areas. For example the Treasury is in charge of Government spending. Departmental Ministers in the Cabinet are generally called 'Secretary of State' but some have special titles such as Chancellor of the Exchequer. Ministers of State and Junior Ministers assist the ministers in charge of the department. They normally have responsibility for a particular area within the department and are sometimes given a title that reflects this - for example Minister of Transport.
