§ Mr. Meacherasked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will require that account should normally be taken of pension contribution records prior to 1935, where these are available in any particular case, since the inclusion of such records in the calculation of the annual average number of contributions up to the time of retirement might favourably improve the rate of pension finally payable.
§ Mr. DeanNo. In deciding that contribution records prior to 1935–36 should not be taken into account under the National Insurance Scheme, the Government of the day had regard to the fact that these records were generally incomplete. To change the policy now would not always be beneficial and would create anomalies.
§ Mr. Meacherasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what procedure he uses for uprating pension increments earned during the five years after the normal age of retirement; and what plans he has to improve the uprating formula as it applies in this respect.
§ Mr. DeanIncrements are considered in the annual review of social security pensions and benefits. They were uprated by 20 per cent. in 1971. Under proposals contained in the Social Security Bill, increments will be directly linked to the pension rate and will be increased accordingly.