§ Mrs. DunwoodyTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what estimate he has for the number of(a) men and (b) women reaching retirement age in (i) 2000, (ii) 2005, (iii) 2010 and (iv) 2020 who will not qualify for a full basic state pension.
§ Mr. HagueThe data held are insufficient to allow reliable estimates to be made in the form requested.
At present, approximately 90 per cent. of men reaching state pension age have underlying entitlement to a full category A basic retirement pension based on their own contributions. This proportion is not expected to alter significantly in the future. The equivalent position for women is that approximately 20 per cent. currently have underlying entitlement to a full category A retirement pension. By 2020, this proportion is expected to increase to between half and two thirds.