§ Mr. Foulkesasked the Secretary of State for Social Services in the light of the concern amongst pensioners at the delay between the announcement of pensions increases and their implementation, if he will consider taking action to minimise this delay.
§ Mr. PrenticeThe delay between the announcement and the implementation of pension increases is caused by the need for clerical reassessment of some 3 million supplementary benefit cases in over 500 local offices around the country. The Department is examining the possibility of computerising these payments, but this will take time and I can promise nothing in the short term.
Pensioners can be assured, however, that their new rates of pension take account of the forecast rise in prices between November 1978 and November 1979.