§ Mr. Thorpeasked the Minister of Social Security whether she is aware that the price charged by retail merchants for winter coal and coke has increased by £1 a ton in order to cover the incidence 91W of the Selective Employment Tax; and what action she proposes to take to minimise hardship thereby caused to retirement pensioners.
§ Miss HerbisonI am informed by my right hon. Friend the Minister of Power that recent increases in the prices of solid fuel are due to the removal of the discount given during the summer months to encourage consumers to stock up. As to the second part of the Question, I would remind the hon. Member that the increase in retirement pensions since March 1965, has been of about 18 per cent., compared with a rise in the Index of Retail Prices since then of less than 7 per cent.; and that the new supplementary benefits scheme will provide higher rates of non-contributory benefit from 28th November for those with the lowest incomes.