HC Deb 26 April 1976 vol 910 cc46-7W
Mr. Teddy Taylor

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will give an assurance that the retirement pension will be adjusted in November if the rate of inflation exceeds the inflation estimate on which the pension rise has been based.

Mr. Orme

I am confident that the increases proposed for next November will raise pensions and other benefits to their highest ever value in real terms.

Mr. Bidwell

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what was the value since 1973, on a monthly basis, of both the single and married couples' national State retirement pension in money and in real terms; what was the decline in the value of the £ sterling in

Retirement Pension
Single Person Married Couple
Date Actual rate Equivalent value of October 1973 rate Actual rate Equivalent value of October 1973 rate Decline of the £ sterling October 1973=£1 General Index of Retail Prices October 1973=100
£ £ £ £ £
1973—
October 7.75 7.75 12.50 12.50 1.00 100.0
November 7.81 12.59 0.99 100.8
December 7.87 12.69 0.99 101.5
1974—
January 8.02 12.93 0.97 103.5
February 8.16 13.15 0.95 105.2
March 8.23 13.27 0.94 106.1
April 8.51 13.72 0.91 109.8
May 8.63 13.91 0.90 111.3
June 8.72 14.06 0.89 112.5
July 10.00 8.80 16.00 14.19 0.88 113.5
August 8.80 14.20 0.88 113.6
September 8.90 14.35 0.87 114.8
October 9.08 14.64 0.85 117.1
November 9.24 14.90 0.84 119.2
December 9.37 15.12 0.83 120.9
1975—
January 9.61 15.50 0.81 124.0
February 9.77 15.76 0.79 126.1
March 9.97 16.07 0.78 128.6
April 11.60 10.35 18.50 16.69 0.75 133.6
May 10.78 17.39 0.72 139.1
June 10.99 17.73 0.71 141.8
July 11.10 17.91 0.70 143.3
August 11.17 18.01 0.69 144.1
September 11.26 18.17 0.69 145.4
October 11.42 18.43 0.68 147.4
November 13.30 11.56 21.20 18.65 0.67 149.2
December 11.71 18.88 0.66 151.0
1976—
January 11.86 19.13 0.65 153.0
February 12.01 19.37 0.65 155.0
March 12.07 19.47 0.64 155.8