§ Mr. Wheelerasked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will estimate how many more retirement pensioners there will be in 1983–84 compared with 1978–79; and what is the estimated extra annual cost in 1983–84 of paying the basic retirement pension to these new claimants.
§ Dr. BoysonIt is estimated that there will be 600,000 more retirement pensioners in 1983–84 than in 1978–79. The cost of paying basic retirement pension in 1983–84 to these additional pensioners is estimated to be £730 million.