asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will state, for each of the past five years, the number of married women who have exercised their right of appeal for back payment of their pension entitlement on reaching the age of 60 years in respect of contributions they made whilst in regular work before 1948.

I regret that the information requested is not available. Statistics relate to retirement pension generally and are not broken down more fully.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will estimate the number of married women who are entitled to a pension in their own right through their insurance contributions whilst in regular work prior to 1948 but who on reaching the age of 60 years did not immediately claim this pension; and what would be the cost of meeting these back payments in full.

I regret that the information requested is not available.