HC Deb 17 November 1970 vol 806 cc368-9W
48. Mr. Gregor Mackenzie

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what measurement his Department uses for determining the increase in the cost of living for retirement pensioners.

Mr. Dean

We have regard to the official indices of retail prices issued by the Department of Employment.

Mr. David Clark

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many retired pensioners are in receipt of supplementary benefits in the Colne Valley constituency at the latest available date.

Mr. Dean

I regret that the information is not available because the offices concerned cover a much larger area than the constituency and separate statistics are not maintained.

Mr. David Clark

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many retirement people are in receipt of State retirement pensions in the Colne Valley constituency.

Mr. Dean

I regret that the information requested is not available as the records for retirement pensioners are maintained centrally and not by local areas. On the assumption that the age structure of the population in the Colne Valley constituency does not differ markedly from the rest of the country, it is estimated that the number will be approximately 10,000.

Mr. Emery

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what investigation he has carried out into the abolition of the earnings rule for retirement pensioners; and what would be the cost of entirely abolishing the earnings rule.

Mr. Dean

The earnings rule for retirement pensioners is included in the consideration the Government are giving to the reconstruction of the National Insurance scheme. The cost of abolishing this rule and consequently the retirement condition which the rule supports would be about £100 million a year.