§ Mr. Johnasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what would be (a) the gross cost and (b) the net cost of paying an additional weekly pension of (i) £5 and (ii) £10 to those retirement pensioners whose additional, graduated or occupational pension, if any, is less than this amount and how many people would be lifted off supplementary benefit in either case.
§ Mr. Rossi[pursuant to his reply, 4 May 1982, c. 24]: The gross cost in 1982–83 is estimated to be (i) £2,100 million and (ii) £4,450 million and the net cost (i) £1,650 million and (ii) £3,700 million. Approximately 200,000 and 750,000 retirement pensioners respectively might be lifted off supplementary benefit.
The estimated costs assume that all retirement pensioners receive the £5 or £10 per week less any additional component or graduated pension they are receiving. Occupational pensions have not been taken into account as the necessary data are not available.
§ Mr. Johnasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what would be (a) the gross cost and (b) the net cost of increasing the basic retirement pension by 1 per cent., 2 per cent., 5 per cent., 10 per cent., 15 per cent., and 20 per cent., assuming that the scale rates for supplementary pension were (i) increased in line with such an award and (ii) not increased; and, in the latter case, how many people would be lifted off supplementary benefit in each instance.
§ Mr. Rossi[pursuant to his reply, 4 May 1982, c. 24]: The estimated cost of increasing retirement pension and supplementary pension rates in 1982–83 would be:
per cent. £million 1 135 2 270 5 670 10 1,340 15 2,010 20 2,680 The estimated cost of increasing retirement pensions but not supplementary pensions and the approximate number who would cease to be entitled to supplementary benefit would be:
Gross Net Number floated off supplementary benefit per cent. £ million £ million (thousands) 1 130 105 5 2 265 210 10 5 660 520 40 10 1,325 1,050 110 15 1,985 1,585 205 20 2,650 2,135 335