§ 4. Mr. Hector Hughesasked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance when the Government's proposed increase in retirement pensions will be paid to the pensioners.
§ 5. Mr. Freesonasked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance whether she will consider taking steps to provide a further interim increase in pensions for the retired disabled and widowed, and in National Assistance Board payments.
§ Miss HerbisonRetirement pensions and other benefits and allowances were increased substantially just over a year ago ant, despite some increase in prices since then, they have an appreciably higher purchasing power than any previous rates.
§ Mr. HughesDoes the Minister realise that the date asked for in my Question is very important to these senior citizens so that they may keep pace with the rising cost of living? Will she say what the date is?
§ Miss HerbisonI am afraid that I cannot say what the date is, but perhaps my hon. and learned Friend will be interested to know that to restore the value of the total pension to what it was in March, 1965, would amount to 3s. 3d. for a single pensioner and 5s. 4d. for a married couple. The increases were 12s. 6d. and 21s. respectively.
§ Mr. FreesonMy Question has not been answered. Will my right hon. Friend bear in mind that it will take some time before the Government's proposals for a major improvement will come to fruition? In the meantime, pensioners are without a further increase and the cost of living is going up. What action will be taken to help them in the interim period, which should probably be about 18 months or two years, I expect?
§ Miss HerbisonMy hon. Friend says that it may be 18 months or two years before there is a general increase. I cannot give any date at present, but I can say that when the pensions were raised in March last year the increase was 18 per cent. to 19 per cent., and they are still very much above the value they had in 1963 when the last increase was given by the previous Conservative Government.