HC Deb 24 March 1981 vol 1 c322W
Mr. Dobson

asked the Secretary of State for social services what the level of the basic retirement pension both for single persons and for a married couple would be (a) now and (b) after the November 1981 uprating if it had been uprated in line with average earnings since May 1979.

Mr. Rossi

If at the upratings in November 1979 and November 1980 retirement pensions had been increased in line with the actual movement in average earnings since the previous uprating, the rates introduced in November 1979 would have been £23.65 for a single person and £37.80 for a married couple, inclusive of amounts to make good the shortfall by reference to earnings at the time of the previous Administration's uprating in November 1978. The rates introduced in November 1980 would have been £28.40 and £45.40 respectively. The calculations are based on movements in the Department of Employment's index of average earnings, whole economy—new series—not seasonally adjusted. No estimate is available of the movement in average earnings up to November 1981.