HC Deb 28 November 1966 vol 737 cc23-4
38. Mrs Knight

asked the Minister of Social Security what would be the weekly rates of the National Insurance retirement pension if those rates had kept pace with the increase in average male industrial earnings since March, 1965, when pension rates were last increased.

Mr. Pentland

On the basis of the Ministry of Labour's inquiries into average earnings in April, 1965, and April, 1966, the latest date for which a figure is available, 85s. 8d. for a single person and 139s. 3d. for a couple.

Mrs. Knight

Is not the hon. Gentleman aware that that is 5s. 8d. short of what it would have been if the Labour election pledge had been carried out, because the pledge clearly was that after the increase had been made, the pension would be linked to earnings?

Mr. Pentland

All the pledges will be carried out.

Mrs. Knight

When?

Mr. Pentland

The hon. Lady may be interested to know that if in March, 1965, the pension had been put up only in line with the rise in average earnings between April, 1963, and October, 1964, the rates would have been 75s. 8d. for a single person and 122s. 2d. for a married couple, whereas in fact they become 80s. and 130s.

Mr. Leadbitter

Is my hon. Friend aware that, while the interest of hon. Members opposite in this subject this afternoon will be noted outside the House, although they did not vote against the pension increases in March, 1965, they voted against the Finance Act provisions to implement them?

Mr. Pentland

Yes, Sir.

Mr. Braine

Is not the point which the Parliamentary Secretary is seeking to evade and which has been raised on both sides of the House the fact not that the pension was increased substantially, as it was, but that the increase has since lost a great deal of its value through inflation?

Mr. Pentland

No, Sir. What I was trying to impress on the House was that Labour will fulfil its pledges.—[HON. MEMBERS: "When?"]—If we were to make a comparison between the increase in March, 1965, and the average increase over the 13 years when the Tory Party was in power, it would be seen that our increase stood way above anything the Tory Party ever did.