§ 2. Mr. Hector Hughesasked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance if he will state the present relation between rates of old-age pensions, National Assistance and the cost of living in terms of cash and percentages, respectively.
§ The Minister of Pensions and National Insurance (Mr. John Boyd-Carpenter)On the basis of the Retail Prices Index, the value of the retirement pension in real terms in December, 1961, was 15s. 8d. single and 22s. 9d. married above that current in October, 1951. Expressed as percentages this represents an improvement of 37 and 33 per cent., respectively. The corresponding figures for National Assistance scale rates are 11s. 8d. and 20s. 3d., representing an improvement of 28 and 29 per cent., respectively.
§ Mr. HughesWhile thanking the right hon. Gentleman for the detail of his reply, may I ask whether he realises that a very complicated situation has been created by the increased cost of living, by the increased cost of transport, and by the so-called economic pause, and that that has increased the great injustice on a class of people who deserve better treatment? Will he take that into account with a view to rectifying 888 the situation and giving them better treatment?
§ Mr. Boyd-CarpenterIt was in order to eliminate any possibility of confusion on those grounds that, as the hon. and learned Gentleman will see when he studies my Answer, the figures were given in real rather than in cash terms.