Supplementary pensions can be paid only to those who can establish need for them and it would be contrary to this basic requirement to disregard the whole of a pensioner's earnings. The statutory Regulations provide that the first 1os. 6d. a week of such earnings shall be disregarded. A pensioner who takes up employment must, therefore, always be better off to this extent at least. I would add that two-thirds of supplementary pensioners are 70 years old or over and a high proportion are infirm.