Christmas Bonus

21.

Mr. McNally
asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will seek to take steps to make the pensioners' Christmas bonus inflation-proof.

Mr. Prentice
No. The Pensioners' Payments and Social Security Act 1979 already enables a bonus of more than £10 to be paid in future years, if the Secretary of State of the day considers it appropriate, having regard to the economic situation, the standard of living and other relevant matters.

Mr. Ralph Howell
asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is the cost of the Christmas bonus to pensioners; and how many and which categories of pensioners are entitled to receive it.

Mr. Prentice
Over 10 million people in the United Kingdom were entitled to this year's £10 Christmas bonus, at a cost of about £108 million. Those entitled—or treated as entitled—to payment of the following benefits in week beginning 3 December were eligible to receive the bonus: retirement pensioninvalidity pensionwidow's allowancewidowed mother's allowancewidow's pensionnon-contributory invalidity pensioninvalid care allowanceindustrial death benefit—by way of widow's or widower's pensionattendance allowance—Including constant attendance allowance under the industrial injuries or war pensions schemesUnemployability supplement or allowancewar disablement pension if the pensioner was in receipt of a qualifying benefit or was over pension able age and retiredsupplementary pensionA further bonus was payable in respect of a spouse over pension able age, if an increase of one of the above benefits was payable in respect of that spouse.