asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is her estimate of the cost of raising the non-contributory invalidity pension to the full rate of invalidity benefit.

On the best assumptions that can be made about the likely take-up of the non-contributory invalidity pension if it were to be raised as the hon. Gentleman suggests, and on a notional distribution of the age of onset of incapacity—which would govern the appropriate rate of invalidity allowance where there was entitlement—the cost might be something over £20 million in a full year.