§ LORD RUSSELL OF LIVERPOOLMy Lords, I beg leave to ask the Question which stands in my name on the Order Paper.
§ [The Question was as follows:
§ To ask Her Majesty's Government when they intend to fulfil the pre-Election pledge of the Prime Minister that Armed Forces pensions will keep their full purchasing power, instead of being eroded by inflation; and whether they will now accept the principle of parity by bringing the basic rates of those longest retired more into line with the rates current to-day.]
§ LORD SHEPHERDMy Lords, the Government are considering the position of public service pensioners. The review will, of course, include Armed Forces pensioners, and will take account of the various suggestions made from time to time about pensions increase measures. I cannot unfortunately anticipate the outcome of the review.
§ LORD RUSSELL OF LIVERPOOLMy Lords, I thank the noble Lord for his reply but should like to ask him a further question. As the Prime Minister was well aware of the circumstances at the time he made this promise, how is it that, when they have raised their own and many other pensions, Her Majesty's Government, who have now been in the saddle for 170 days—although I do not think much of their horsemanship—have so far done nothing for these unfortunate and well-deserving pensioners of the Armed Forces?
§ LORD SHEPHERDMy Lords, this is, as I am sure the noble Lord will agree, a very complex matter. We are dealing with 615,000 pensioners, over the whole of the public service, and 112,000 Armed Forces pensioners. As I say, this is a very complex matter. It is being reviewed in the customary way, and I hope that we may have a statement in the not-toodistant future.