§ Mr. HoramTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many pensioners had money deducted from their state retirement pension while in hospital during the last calendar year for which figures are available; and what the cost to the Exchequer would have been of not making such deductions. [153226]
§ Mr. RookerAs at 31 March 2000, some 31,900 retirement pensioners were in hospital and subject to a downrating of their retirement pension. The costs of abolishing such downrating is approximately £60 million per year.