§ 22. Mr. Hardyasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what was the total weekly cost of retirement pensions paid by her Department and the improvement in real terms in the purchasing power of that pension for both the single person and the married couple during the last five years.
§ Mr. O'MalleyAverage weekly expenditure on retirement pensions has risen from about £35 million at the rates in force five years ago to about £100 million at current rates. From the beginning of 1971 to February 1974, the real improvement in the pension was one of 16.8 per cent. for a single person and 16.3 per cent. for a married couple. The real improvement from February 1974 to November 1975 was 22.5 per cent. and 21.0 per cent. respectively, on the basis of the October 1975 index of retail prices, the latest date for which a figure is available.