§ 49. Mr. Watsonasked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many more people are receiving retirement pensions in 1984 than in 1979; and by what percentage the total provision for retirement pensions has been raised since 1978–79.
§ Dr. BoysonAt November 1978 there were 8,775,000 pensioners receiving a retirement pension either in the United Kingdom or overseas; by November 1983 this had increased to 9,491,000. Total benefit expenditure on retirement pensions has risen from £7.6 billion in 1978–79 to £14.7 billion in 1983–84. This represents an actual per capita expenditure increase of 79.4 per cent., or 6.6 per cent. expenditure increase in real terms.