§ 31. Mr. Ashleyasked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he is satisfied with the level of social security payments following the flotation of sterling; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. Arthur Lewisasked the Secretary of State for Social Services in view of the effect which the floating of the £ sterling will have on the sick, unemployed, and war pensioners, if he will now raise the payment of all welfare benefits.
§ Sir K. JosephI am confident that the proposed increases in retirement pensions and related benefits from October will more than compensate for any erosion of purchasing power since the last uprating.
§ 34. Mr. Douglasasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what study he has made of the weekly budget submitted by the hon. Member for Clackmannan and East Stirlingshire on behalf of one of his constituents in relation to his evaluation of social security benefits; and what reply he has sent.
§ Mr. DeanMy reply points out that the retirement pension will be increased in October by 75p, which will give a further modest increase in purchasing power, and reiterates the Government's pledge at least to maintain and where-ever possible to improve the value of pensions through our annual reviews.
§ Mr. Torneyasked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether he will now consider a review of the system of the payment of social security benefits to ensure payment of increases immediately they are agreed by the Government.
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§ Sir K. JosephThe procedures were recently reviewed by a working party under the chairmanship of Sir Richard Meyjes, the leader of the businessmen's team in the Civil Service Department. This very thorough investigation produced a number of useful suggestions, but the uprating of millions of pensions with other associated benefits is an immense task and the working party found that a significant reduction in the time needed was not practicable.
§ Mr. Arthur Lewisasked the Secretary of State for Social Services in view of the increase in the cost of living caused by the floating of the £ sterling, if he will now take action to increase the 75p due to pensioners in the autumn and to bring this payment forward to July.
§ Sir K. JosephNo.
§ Miss Quennellasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is his estimate of the additional cost of back-dating the increase in retirement pensions and other benefits from October, 1972 to May, 1972.