HC Deb 19 June 1995 vol 262 cc12-3
14. Mr. Skinner

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security when he last met a group of pensioners' representatives to discuss the level of old age pensions and other entitlements. [27614]

Mr. Arbuthnot

During the passage of the Pensions Bill, which is currently before the House, Ministers have had many meetings, both formal and informal, with pensioners' representatives and organisations.

Mr. Skinner

Is it not a scandal that, at a time when pensioners have been robbed blind by the Government—they lost up to about £20 a week when the Government changed the system of paying pensions in relation to wages and prices—a few thousand Lloyd's names have been given £2.8 billion in tax relief? If as much as £2.8 billion is in the country, is it not high time for that money to go to hard-pressed pensioners and not to Tory Back Benchers who have been saved from bankruptcy and financial ruin?

Mr. Arbuthnot

As a Lloyd's name, I suppose I should declare an interest. As the hon. Gentleman is coming up to pension age, perhaps he, too, should declare his interest.

I always enjoy the hon. Gentleman's contributions. On this occasion, as he mentioned wages and prices, he had the opportunity to set out whether it was Labour party policy to uprate pensions by prices or by wages.

Mr. Skinner

It is mine.

Mr. Arbuthnot

How reassuring for us.

The Labour party has, however, produced no policy on that. It is not so much a pig in a poke as a porker in a pickle.