HC Deb 19 May 1989 vol 153 cc326-7W
Mr. Stern

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many full-time workers are not in occupational or personal pension schemes; and what was the equivalent number in 1979.

Mr. Peter Lloyd

In 1979, 11.8 million employees were not members of occupational pension schemes. Of these, 7.65 million were full-time employees.

Provisional figures for 1987 show that 11.4 million employees were not members of occupational pension schemes. This was of course before the Government's pension reforms took effect; since the introduction of personal pensions in July 1988, over 2 million people have opted to join a personal pension scheme. The number of full-time employees is not yet known.