§ Mr. Kenneth Clarkeasked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether the Government's proposals to inflation-proof graduated pensions under the present graduated pensions scheme as set out in the White Paper "Better Pensions" (Command Paper No. 5713) are proposals to price-protect post-retirement benefits on the value of pre-retirement contributions.
§ Mr. O'MalleyWe are proposing that price protection cover both graduated pensions in payment and the accrued rights to pension of people not yet re-
330Waverage; and what were the figures for 1970, 1965, 1960, 1955 and 1950, respectively.
§ Dr. OwenData by hospital regions are available only for the period from 1963 and for the areas of the former regional hospital boards. Death rates of infants aged under one year per 1,000 live births were as follows:
tired. These assumptions were in the costs which I gave the hon. Gentleman in my reply of 22nd January—[Vol. 884, c. 391.]
§ Mrs. Haymanasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what action she has taken to implement the intention she announced when introducing the White Paper "Better Pensions" of asking the Occupational Pensions Board what further safeguards are needed to end discrimination against women in occupational pension schemes.
§ Mrs. CastleI have today sent a letter to Sir Philip Allen, Chairman of the 331W Occupational Pensions Board, requesting the board to consider, in the light of the Government's proposals for the future of pensions and in particular their intention to end discrimination against women in occupational pension schemes, what further steps are necessary, whether by legislation or otherwise, to implement the principle of equality of status for men and women in such schemes; and to report.