§ Mr. Dixonasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what percentage of average workers' earnings the basic state pensions represents; and how this figure compares with other European Economic Community countries.
§ Mr. WhitneyAt November 1984 it is provisionally estimated that the state basic retirement pension for a single person represented about 19.2 per cent. of the average gross earnings of all male employees. Comparative estimates for other countries are very
Level of state old age pensions* as a percentage of current gross average earnings at January 1984 Single Pensioner Pensioner with dependent spouse of pension age Basic pension Earnings related supplement Total state pension Basic pension Earnings related supplement Total state pension per cent. per cent. per cent. per cent. per cent. per cent. Netherlands 37 — 37 53 — 53 France 50 10–20 60–70 plus means-tested additional equal to 4 per cent. Belgium 20 40 60 20 50 70 Denmark 20 7 27 40 7 47 Germany 50 — 50 No increase for dependent spouse United Kingdom† 19 7.5 26.5 31 7.5 38.5 Notes: * Pensions in France, Belgium and Germany and partly in Denmark and the United Kingdom, are calculated at award upon previous earnings revalued in line with increases in average earnings: if an individual's earnings have not been at least equal to average earnings over the qualifying period the percentage figures above will over estimate the value of the old age pension. † At November 1984.