asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will give an estimate of the cost of exempting retirement pensions from Income Tax where pensioners' total income, including the pension, does not exceed £10 per week.

About £7 million in a full year, on the assumption that my hon. Friend is referring to National Insurance retirement pensions. This cost would be nearly doubled if marginal relief were also given on the lines of the marginal relief associated with the age exemption provisions.