§ Mr. Rookerasked the Secretary of State for Social Services if, pursuant to the answer to the hon. Member for Grimsby (Mr. Mitchell) Official Report, 18 January 1982, c. 47, he will publish a breakdown of the amount of expenditure for retirement pensions showing how much of the £12,048 million is accounted for by graduated pension, additional earnings related pension and other amounts in excess of basic retirement pensions.
§ Mr. RossiEstimated expenditure on retirement pensions in 1981–82 includes £206 million for graduated pension, £20 million additional component and £379 million for other amounts in excess of basic pension.
§ Mr. Rookerasked the Secretary of State for Social Services if any amount from the National Insurance Fund is yet being used to inflation-proof guaranteed minimum pensions awarded to pensioners who were contracted out under the Social Security Pensions Act 1975; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. RossiThe Social Security Pensions Act 1975 provides that retirement pensioners contracted out of the earnings-related part of the State pension scheme receive the same degree of inflation proofing as is given to those who are contracted into the state scheme. To this extent, inflation-proofing has been provided since November 1979, the first uprating after the provision came into operation.