§ Sir Brandon Rhys Williamsasked the Minister for the Civil Service what it the total number of members of State sector pension schemes who will become eligible for indexed benefits on their retirement; what will be the number actually in receipt of such pensions in 1985; what proportion that number will represent of all beneficiaries of occupational pensions; and what estimate he has made of that number who, if not assisted by indexation of their occupational pension, would become entitled to claim supplementary benefit instead.
§ Mr. ChannonOf 11.8 million employees in occupational pension schemes in 1979, about 5.6 million were in the public sector. The majority of these can expect their pensions to be protected against inflation under the Social Security Pensions Act 1975 or by some other means. It is estimated that about 2.7 million public sector pensions will be in payment in 1985.
This will represent about 60 per cent. of all occupational pensions in payment.
668WIt is not possible to estimate how many public sector pensioners would be entitled to receive supplementary benefit if not assisted by indexation. The entitlement would depend on pensioners' other financial circumstances, details of which are not available.
§ Sir Brandon Rhys Williamsasked the Minister for the Civil Service what would be produced as an annual sum if all members of State sector pension schemes eligible to receive indexed retirement benefits were required to make a new contribution of 10 per cent. of that part of their relevant earnings that exceeds £2,500 a year.
§ Mr. ChannonI regret that information on the total pensionable earnings of public sector employees is not held centrally. The Government will consider the pension contributions paid by public sector employees when they have received the report of the Scott committee's inquiry into the value of pensions.