§ Mr. Ovendenasked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) if she will now publish the report by Sir Richard Meyjes on the timetable needed for uprating pensions and other benefits;
(2) if she will appoint an independent committee to assess how far the conclusions reached in the review by Sir Richard Meyjes, concerning the timetable for uprating benefits, have been affected by improvements in the technical equipment now available to her Department.
§ Mr. O'MalleyThis report was prepared under the auspices of the previous administration's business team in 1971 and was not designed for publication. The Department keeps the arrangements for uprating benefits constantly under review in the light of relevant technical developments, but I am afraid that an early shortening of the uprating timetable is not feasible, and that the appointment of an independent committee would not advance matters.