§ Mr. Wigleyasked the Secretary of State for Social Services if she will seek powers to change the earnings rule as it affects the pension of a retired man whose wife is in employment inasmuch as the increase in his pension to keep abreast with the cost of living is reduced in line with any increase in her earnings, also to keep abreast with the cost of living, with the net result that their aggregate situation is a real reduction in their standard of living.
§ Mr. O'MalleyThe total income of a retirement pensioner and his wife, from pensions and earnings, will go up by at least the amount of the increase in their pensions, no matter how much the wife's earnings may rise. As the hon. Member will know, pensions were increased last month, and there is to be a further increase in the earnings rule limits next April.