HC Deb 28 June 1988 vol 136 cc200-1W
Sir David Price

To ask the Secretary of State for Social services if he will list his reasons for not equalising the age of eligibility between men and women for the basic state retirement pension.

Mr. Scott

Changes to pension age for either sex would have economic and social consequences and potentially large costs or savings. We are not prepared to put forward specific proposals for change until all of the factors involved have been fully evaluated. However, equal treatment between men and women would be a major (though not the only) objective in any change to present pension age arrangements.