§ Mr. Hooleyasked the Minister of Social Security if she will list in the OFFICIAL REPORT the value of the retirement pension for a married couple in January of each of the years 1958 to 1967, inclusive; and if she will show the figures as a percentage of average industrial earnings in January of each of these years.
§ Miss HerbisonThe following table gives the information:
RETIREMENT PENSION FOR A MARRIED COUPLE AS A PERCENTAGE OF AVERAGE WEEKLY EARNINGS* IN JANUARY OF EACH YEAR FROM 1958 Year Retirement pension for a married couple Average earnings of men* Col. (2) as a percentage of Col. (3) (1) (2) (3) (4) s. d. s. d. 1958 … 80 0† 251 7 31.8 1959 … 80 0 256 8 31.2 1960 … 80 0 271 1 29.5 1961 … 80 0 290 8 27.5 1962 … 92 6 306 10 30.1 1963 … 92 6 317 3 29.2 1964 … 109 0 334 11 32.5 1965 … 109 0 362 2 30.1 1966 … 130 0 391 9 33.2 1967 … 130 0 406 1 32.0 * As shown by the Ministry of Labour half-yearly enquiries into the earnings of male manual workers in the manufacturing and some of the principal non-manufacturing industries in October of the preceding year. † Increased to this amount as from 27th January, 1958.