§ Mr. DewarTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) what estimates he has made, on the basis of assumptions used in "Options for Equality in State Pension Age", assuming a unified pension age of 60 years, of the rate of increase in pension above price inflation which would be consistent with the combined national insurance contribution rate in 2035 being 19.4 per cent., and of the equivalent rate of single pension;
(2) what estimates he has made, on the basis of assumptions used in "Options for Equality in State Pension Age", assuming a unified state pension age of 65 years, of the rate of increase in pension above price inflation which would be consistent with the combined national insurance contribution rate 2035 being 19.4 per cent. and of the equivalent rate of single pension;
(3) what estimates he has made, on the basis of assumptions used in "Options for Equality in State Pension Age", assuming a unified pension age of 63 years, of the rate of increase in pension above price inflation which would be consistent with the combined national insurance contribution rate in 2035 being 19.4 per cent., and of the equivalent rate of single pension;
(4) what estimates he has made, on the basis of assumptions used in "Options for Equality in State Pension Age", assuming that current state pension ages are maintained, of the rate of increase in pension above price inflation which would be consistent with the combined national insurance contribution rate in 2035 being 19.4 per cent., and of the equivalent rate of single pension.
§ Miss WiddecombeThe information is in the table.
Pension Age Rate of Basic Pension in 2035 consistent with a combined Class 1 NI contribution rate of 19.4 per cent. (1993–94 benefit rates) Required rale of annual increase in pension above price inflation £ Percentage Current pension ages 61.10 0.2 Unified age of 60 52.90 —0.1 Unified age of 63 61.10 0.2 Unified age of 65 68.15 0.5
§ Mr. DewarTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will publish estimates, on the basis of assumptions used in "Options for Equality in State Pension Age", on the effect on national insurance contribution rates in 2015, 2025, 2035 and 2045 of equalising state pension age at(a) 60 years, (b) 63 years and (c) 65 years, giving figures separately for (i) earnings-uprating of pensions and national insurance thresholds and (ii) price-uprating.
521W
§ Miss WiddecombeAvailable information is given in the tables. Figures for 2015 and 2045 are not available.
(i) Earnings-uprating Effect measured in percentage points 2025 2035 Age 60 + 3.0 + 2.5 Age 63 negligible negligible Age 65 —2.0 —1.5
(ii) Price-uprating Effect measured in percentage points 2025 2035 Age 60 + 2.0 + 1.5 Age 63 —0.25 negligible Age 65 —1.5 —1.0