I disremember whether blind pensioners are included as well.
Committee on Finance. - Social Welfare Bill, 1957—Committee and Final Stages.
Questions proposed: "That Section 1 stand part of the Bill."
They are.
Question put and agreed to.
SECTION 2.
Question proposed: "That Section 2 stand part of the Bill".
I understood the Parliamentary Secretary to say that the number of recipients in this section was 49,000 made up of the actual persons with claims plus the dependents. Surely the Parliamentary Secretary could give us the figure upon which he has based his costs as set out in his Second Reading speech of the number of people who will go into the Exchange. The figure I am interested in is the estimated number of people who will go into the Exchange (a) to draw for himself; (b) to draw for his wife if he has one; and (c) to draw for the children if he has any.
The estimated number who go into the Exchanges is 25,783 in respect of 23,300 dependents.
Can you divide that 23,000 between adults and children?
No.
Might I ask the Parliamentary Secretary to consider one thing, the question of assessment of means for the purpose of qualifying for home assistance in the case of a self-employed man?
Home assistance?
I mean unemployment assistance. Let me give as an example the case of a man who fishes for four months of the year and earns £100. He is debarred for the other eight months of the year from drawing unemployment assistance. That has gone on for years.
Why should it not?
The Minister knows the way it is with the fisherman. He works for four months.
You must take a person's income for the year.
It is spread over the whole year. On the other hand, if I am a carpenter and I work for nine months at £10 per week, immediately I become unemployed I am entitled to unemployment assistance. Perhaps I am raising a complicated point.
Surely a person's income must be based upon his earnings for the year prior to the application?
Yes in the case of a self-employed man or the man not insured. The insured man can earn for eight or nine months of the year and still qualify.
They are two different classes all the same.
Have you not also got the case of the civil bill officer who will serve a writ one day of the week? You have a whole lot of cases like that.
In regard to 26,000 claimants approximately, do I understand that the estimate of £127,000 in the current year is based on an estimate of the number of claimants to the extent of 26,000, having 23,000 dependents entitled to draw?
Yes.
Is that right?
Yes.
Question put and agreed to.
SECTION 3.
Question proposed: "That Section 3 stand part of the Bill."
Could we have the same information in respect of widows, please? How many pension books were issued?
The number of widows in receipt of pension for the year 1956 is 34,895.
How many children do they claim for?
4,320.
Question put and agreed to.
Section 4 and the Title agreed to.
Bill reported without amendment, received for final consideration and passed.
This is a Money Bill within the meaning of Article 22 of the Constitution.