§ Mr. Ennalsasked the Secretary of State for Social Services to what extent he expects the November 9 per cent. uprating of long term benefits to be below the year-on-year rate of inflation; and if he will propose a supplementary payment during the course of the next 12 months to prevent hardship to those involved.
§ Mr. FowlerThe uprating of retirement pensions and other benefits as from 23 November was based on a forecast 10 per cent. movement of prices in the 12 months from the last uprating in November 1980. The actual movement of prices over this period is now expected to be rather higher than 10 per cent., but the full shortfall will not be known until mid-December. The Government are already pledged to make good the shortfall for retirement pensions and other linked long term benefits at the next uprating in 1982, and I expect to announce our detailed proposals on this next spring.