§ Mrs. DunwoodyTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is the percentage of current gross average earnings that the state pension represents in the United Kingdom; and what comparable information he has for other EC countries.
§ Miss WiddecombeIn Great Britain the basic rate retirement pension for a single person, at April 1990 rates, represented 17.8 per cent. of average gross weekly earnings1. This basic rate retirement pension does not include SERPS, nor does it include the occupational pension that over half all pensioners received in 1988; in addition, nearly three quarters of pensioners received incomes from savings.
It is difficult to make direct comparisons with other EC state pension schemes because they are mostly earnings related. As a result, pensions are a reflection of individual earnings rather than the general level of earnings.
Information on the different EC pension schemes can be found in "Social Protection in The Member States of The Community" published by the European Commission, a copy of which can be found in the Library.
For separate figures on Northern Ireland I refer the hon. Member to my right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland.
1 Based on approximate average gross weekly earnings of all full time employees on adult rates—All industries and services in Great Britain and based on the New Earnings Survey and the Average Earnings Index (April 1990), earnings figures on this basis are not yet available for April 1991.