§ 6. Mr. Paul Burstow (Sutton and Cheam)If he will make a statement on the better government for older people programme. [116389]
§ The Parliamentary Secretary, Cabinet Office (Mr. Graham Stringer)The 28 pilot projects are formally at an end as pilot projects, but some are continuing because they have been successful. The Government will evaluate them over the coming months and it is our intention to report by June.
§ Mr. BurstowI am grateful to the Minister for that answer, but given that all the news releases issued about the programme boast of a series of "listening to older people" events across the country involving Ministers, can he tell us how seriously people can take those meetings when the Government have shown only this week how deaf they are to the voices of pensioners by failing to give them a decent increase in the basic state pension—just 75p? Are not the Government listening to but not understanding pensioners?
§ Mr. StringerWhat was in the hon. Gentleman's party's previous manifesto? Absolutely nothing on that 965 issue. It is clear that, over their period in office, the Government will have put £6.4 billion into pensioners' pockets. After 20 years of Conservative rule, the disparity between pensioners on the lowest incomes and those on the highest incomes was higher than it had ever been. By providing the minimum income guarantee to pensioners and free eye tests, the Government have done more for pensioners than his party or the Conservative party would do.