§ Mr. Nicholas BrownTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will estimate the cost at current rates of reducing the male qualifying age for receipt of the basic pension to 64 years.
§ Miss WiddecombeThe information requested is not available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
§ Mr. AllenTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will list the percentages of people in receipt of state pensions for each category between 25 per cent. up to 100 per cent.
§ Miss WiddecombeThe numbers of people in receipt of state retirement pensions for each category between 25 per cent. up to 100 per cent. can be found in the DSS publication—retirement pension statistics "All Cases" for the period ending 31 March 1990, the latest period for which figures are available. A copy is in the Library.
§ Mr. AllenTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security under what circumstances people may pay extra voluntary contributions to enhance their entitlement if they are on(a) basic pension entitlement and (b) reduced basic pension entitlement.
§ Miss WiddecombeAn individual who is not liable to pay contributions of another class and who cannot be awarded credits may pay voluntary contributions in respect of tax years before pension age for any year that is not a qualifying year for pension purposes. Since 6 April 1982, it has been possible to pay these contributions at any time up to the end of the sixth tax year following the one in which they were due. Payment of them will not normally increase the rate of pension for any period before the date on which they are paid. Payment of extra contributions cannot increase the rate of payment beyond that of the full basic standard rate.