Mr Paul Dean: I am obliged to the right hon. Lady for that explanation. Would she give one additional piece of information; how many people are likely to have their period of benefit reduced?
Mr Paul Dean: May I put to the Joint Parliamentary Secretary an additional question which probably he will be more eager to answer than the questions which he has already been asked? The Clause provides for two things. The first is the extension of the period of benefit from 13 weeks to 26 weeks and the second is the introduction of the earnings-related supplement to the pension. In her opening speech the...
Mr Paul Dean: The Joint Parliamentary Secretary confirmed in answer to my earlier question that there is no earnings stop so far as earnings-related benefit for widows is concerned. Would I be right in assuming that his calculation of 15,000 widows who will not be given the earnings-related benefit means that there are 15,000 widows whose husbands were earning less than £9 per week in the previous Income...
Mr Paul Dean: The intention of new Clause No. 7 is to extend the proposed invalidity benefit to the unemployed. I am not here thinking of that category of unemployed who do not want further employment. The right hon. Lady referred to the two distinct categories of those who, for various reasons, do not want further employment, and those who are suffering from some disability. Some of those in the latter...
Mr Paul Dean: Will the right hon. Lady give for new Clause No. 7 figures of cost similar to those which she gave in respect of new Clause No. 1?
Mr Paul Dean: I beg to move, That the Clause be read a Second time. This Clause deals with a small but important and rather technical point. The main object is to ask the Government what progress they have made in finding a solution to the problem. The question has been discussed on a number of occasions, as the Committee will recall, and a similar proposal to this was made by my hon. Friend the Member...
Mr Paul Dean: I am obliged to the hon. Gentleman for that helpful explanation. I appreciate the difficulties of trying to find a solution to this problem. The hon. Gentleman mentioned the problems which arise in trying to solve this problem through National Insurance, and said that the review was considering all these matters, but he did not say anything about the possibility of solving the problem through...
Mr Paul Dean: I am obliged to the hon. Gentleman for that additional information, and in view of his explanation I beg to ask leave to withdraw the Motion.
Mr Paul Dean: Thank you, Mr. Steele. I beg to move, That the Clause be read a Second time. These two Clauses deal with various aspects of widows' benefits, and I hope that the right hon. Lady will agree that it would be wrong to let a Bill of this kind go through without discussing the problem of the no-shilling widow and the 20s. industrial widow. I propose to deal with them separately, because,...
Mr Paul Dean: I see that my hon. Friend the Member for Essex, South-East (Mr. Braine) nods his head.
Mr Paul Dean: Perhaps I am being a little more optimistic than my hon. Friend. On Wednesday next we shall see how much progress has been made with this famous review. I hope that the right hon. Lady realises that the more she piles anomaly on anomaly in relation to widows' benefits the greater is the obligation upon her to produce a long-term solution. There are many other anomalies, but I hope that I have...
Mr Paul Dean: The right hon. Lady will remember that I said that there were other categories of women who were equally deserving—small categories. I should be very happy if she would bring forward an Amendment to include other categories whom she thinks are in need of this help.
Mr Paul Dean: Although I appreciate the careful way in which the right hon. Lady has dealt with this point, I am exceedingly disappointed. So far as concerns the 20s. industrial widow, it appears that we are now to have a review of a review. The Industrial Injuries Advisory Council has reported. Some reported that there is a very strong case for increasing the amount to 30s. while others said the...
Mr Paul Dean: Surely that is not the case. The hon. Member appears to be saying that it is perfectly simple for a woman widowed at the age of 49, who has spent the last 20 years bringing up children, to go out and get a job.
Mr Paul Dean: I beg to move, That the Clause be read a Second time. I am sorry that the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster is not in his place—doubtless he has a good reason—because it was he who dealt with this point the last time it was raised. The Clause aims to raise by £1 the amount which pensioners can earn without any deduction in pension; in other words, it would raise the limit from the...
Mr Paul Dean: The right hon. Gentleman has given specific figures of the increased expenditure which he expects between now and 1970. Can he translate that into easier terms of expenditure, and tell us how large that is likely to be—how large the increase for the pensioner?
Mr Paul Dean: I have only about five minutes, and I shall be very brief. I agree with one thing which the hon. Member for Ealing, North (Mr. Molloy) has just said, and that was the criticism which he made of, and the disappointment he expressed with, the speech by the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster earlier this afternoon. We have been told for many months either that we are starting from scratch, or...
Mr Paul Dean: asked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance when she will receive the Report of the National Insurance Advisory Committee about the earnings rule.
Mr Paul Dean: Can the Minister give an assurance that the Advisory Committee realises the urgency of this? Does she recollect that it is over two years since the earnings limit was changed and that since that time earnings have risen by over £2 10s.? Surely it is, therefore, urgent that there should be further help for those who want to earn part-time?
Mr Paul Dean: asked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance when she will introduce legislation to replace National Assistance by a new system of benefits.