§ Mr. Sydney Irvingasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what was the cost of retirement pensions in each of the last five years; and how much she expects they will cost this year and next.
§ Mr. O'MalleyThe figures are as follows:
Year ending 31st March Cost of retirement pension £ million 1971 … … … 1,785 1972 … … … 2,068 1973 … … … 2,396 1974 … … … 2,779 1975* … … … 3,603 1976† … … … 4,850 1977† … … … 5,403 * Provisional figure. † Estimated; includes recently announced increases operative from November 1975 but makes no allowance for uprating in 1976–77.