asked the Minister for Social Welfare the annual cost of increasing by 20 per cent (a) old age contributory pensions, (b) widows' contributory pensions, (c) deserted wives' benefit, (d) flat rate maternity allowance; (e) non-contributory old age pensions, (f) widows' non-contributory pensions, (g) unmarried mothers' allowances, (h) deserted wives' allowances, (i) prisoners' wives' allowances and the estimated cost of a 30 per cent increase in the child dependant allowances for these categories.
Written Answers. - Social Welfare Benefits.
335.
The estimated total cost of increasing by 20 per cent the personal and adult dependants' rates of the social insurance and social assistance payments quoted by the Deputy, including increasing by 30 per cent the child dependants' allowances for those categories, is as follows:
|
Estimated total cost in full year of 20 per cent increase in personal and adult dependants' rates. |
Estimated total cost in full year of 30 per cent increase in child dependants' rates. |
|
|
£ |
£ |
|
|
(a) old age contributory pension |
15,409,000 |
278,000 |
|
(b) widow's contributory pension |
12,835,000 |
2,107,000 |
|
(c) deserted wife's benefit |
485,000 |
419,000 |
|
(d) flat-rate maternity allowance |
720,000 |
— |
|
(e) non-contributory old age pension |
23,697,000 |
312,000 |
|
(f) widow's non-contributory pension |
1,829,000 |
569,000 |
|
(g) unmarried mother's allowance |
778,000 |
458,000 |
|
(h) deserted wife's allowance |
540,000 |
332,000 |
|
(i) prisoner's wife's allowance |
35,000 |
53,000 |
|
Totals |
56,328,000 |
4,528,000 |
336.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the total number of persons in receipt of contributory widows' pension.
337.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the total number of persons in receipt of non-contributory widows' pension.
338.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the current average weekly payment to (a) a contributory widow's pensioner and (b) a non-contributory widow's pensioner.
339.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the number of persons in receipt of (a) deserted wife's benefit-allowance; (b) deserted wife's assistance allowance; (c) prisoner's wife's assistance allowance and the average amount of each such payment.
With the permission of the Ceann Comhairle, it is proposed to take Questions Nos. 336, 337, 338 and 339 together.
The information requested is as follows:
Number of receipients and average weekly payment of widow's contributory pension, widow's non-contributory pension, deserted's wife's benefit, deserted wife's allowance and prisoner's wife's allowance.
|
Number of Receipients |
Average Weekly Payment |
|
|
Widow's Contributory Pension |
68,236 |
£19.89 |
|
Widow's Non-Contributory Pension |
10,427 |
£19.04 |
|
Deserted Wife's Benefit |
2,455 |
£29.49 |
|
Deserted Wife's Allowance |
2,863 |
£24.50 |
|
Prisoner's Wife's Allowance |
191 |
£31.58 |
340.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the number of persons in receipt of single women's allowance under the scheme of social assistance payments to persons aged 58 years and over and the average amount of such payment.
The number of persons in receipt of single women's allowance is approximately 3,100 and the average amount in payment is £12.30 per week.