§ Mr. Kirkwoodasked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will estimate the additional full-year costs of advancing the date of qualification for retirement pension to the beginning of the week within which the qualifying birthday falls.
§ Mr. MajorTo advance the date of qualification for state retirement pension in this way would entail paying pensions for periods for which no entitlement exists, because the qualifying birthday is the minimum age at which state retirement pension becomes payable. The gross full year cost would be in the order of £20 million on the benefit rates applicable from July 1986.