asked the Minister of Social Security what plans she has for ensuring that all persons entitled to pensions are informed of their rights.

A great deal of publicity and effort is directed by my Ministry to telling people about the benefits of the National Insurance Scheme, but the responsibility for ascertaining his rights must at the end of the day rest with the insured person.

But does the Joint Parliamentary Secretary agree that those people still in work at retirement age are informed, while those people who retire earlier, possibly for health reasons, and who are, therefore, the needier cases, are not informed? Is there not some way in which the Ministry can do something to tell those people they are entitled to pension, if pension is due?

We do everything possible to do this. The hon. Gentleman will not have overlooked the fact that the Ministry has a very large number of local offices to help people with inquiries, and there is also a comprehensive leaflet, about retirement pension in particular, which is available from our local offices.