§ Mr. Stallardasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what correspondence he has received from organisations such as Task Force, Help the Aged and others about the immediate problems of senior citizens; and what replies he has sent.
§ Mr. DeanSeveral organisations have made representations about the problems of pensioners, most of which concerned the provision made for heating under the supplementary benefits scheme. As the hon. Member will be aware, the Government propose that, with effect from 1st October, extra heating allowances will be paid on top of the new long-term supplementary benefit scale rates, instead of being offset against that part of those140W rates which will normally be available to meet exceptional expenses.
§ Mr. Stallardasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what representations he has received from senior citizens' organisations concerning the pension proposals set out in the Social Security Bill now before Parliament, with particular reference to the need to take immediate steps to bridge the gap between 1975 and 2018; and what replies he has sent.
§ Mr. DeanI have received representations from several of these organisations about pension matters generally, some of which have referred to the proposals in the Social Security Bill. I have emphasised that the Government are pledged to safeguard the living standards of pensioners by annual increases in pension rates which will, as a minimum, maintain their purchasing power, and to continue their policy of selective improvements in the State scheme, on the sound financial basis established by the Bill.