25 MARCH 1966, Page 16

The Earnings Rule

SIR,—Professor Bullocke is apparently unaware (Letters, March 11) that the Minister of Pensions has, in fact, referred the question of the earnings rule to the National Insurance Advisory Committee.

At the same time she asked them to examine the position of people who retire on superannuation or occupational pensions before the National In- surance pensionable age and then draw unemploy- ment benefit. Part of the expense of abolishing the earnings rule may therefore be borne by restricting the payment of unemployment benefit to the genuinely unemployed.

DAVID BUCKTON

28 Lennox Gardens, London, SW 1