HC Deb 03 June 1980 vol 985 cc1222-4
2. Mr. Cryer

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will increase the 1980 Christmas bonus payment for retirement pensioners to make up any shortfall in pension increases.

The Minister for Social Security (Mr. Reg Prentice)

The question of making good a shortfall in the November 1980 uprating would have to be considered if it arose. But an increase in the 1980 Christmas bonus would not be an appropriate way to make good any shortfall.

Mr. Cryer

Is it not true that the Department has legislated to create a 54-week year, which means that there will be a fortnight's delay in the payment of the increased pension, which in turn means that there will be a shortage in payment to a married couple, for example, of over £12? Does the Minister agree that if he broke into a pensioner's house and robbed him of £12 he would rightly be sent to gaol? Is it not legislative robbery from millions of pensioners that the Minister and his cronies are putting into effect?

Mr. Prentice

No, Sir, it is nothing of the kind. It is a necessary reining back of public spending, to fight inflation. In fighting inflation we are doing the best possible service that we can for the pensioners of Britain.

Mr. Garel-Jones

Will my right hon. Friend confirm that the Christmas bonus, in spite of its extreme unpopularity among Opposition Members, is a popular and much appreciated benefit? Will he assure the House that he will bear in mind that the value of the bonus has not changed from £10 since its inception, and that as soon as economic circumstances permit he will seek to increase it?

Mr. Prentice

I agree with my hon. Friend. The pensioners of Britain will be aware that one of the first measures brought forward by the Government when they took office was to make the Christmas bonus a permanent payment.

Mr. Barry Jones

Does the Minister agree that he has adopted a miserable device with which to diddle vulnerable pensioners?

Mr. Prentice

No, Sir.

Mr. Peter Bottomley

Will my right hon. Friend tell us for how many years the Christmas bonus was not paid by the Labour Government, and what that represents?

Mr. Prentice

For two years, which happened to be early in the Parliament, and they took care to start paying it again as the election approached.

Mr. Crowther

Is the Minister of State saying that an appropriate way to rein back public expenditure, as he calls it, is to rob old-age pensioners? Is it not an example of almost incredible meanness, even for this Government, to make the pensioners pay for their Christmas bonus?

Mr. Prentice

No. I do not accept the word " rob ". These matters were fully debated during the long debates on the Social Security Bills, Nos. 1 and 2. We are hearing the usual performance of the Labour Party fighting yesterday's battles.