§ Mr. Staintonasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is the present purchasing power of the 25p per week given to pensioners over 80 years of age as an age addition compared with when it was introduced; and what are his proposals to improve this position.
§ Mr. OrmeOn the basis of the movement in the General Index of Retail Prices—all items—to October 1977, the 11W latest date for which a figure is available, the present equivalent of the age addition of 25p introduced in September 1971 is 11p. We have no plans to increase the rate of the age addition.