§ Mr. Dixonasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what percentage of the United Kingdom population is in receipt of statutory retirement pension; and how this figure compares with other European Economic Community countries.
§ Mr. WhitneyIt is estimated that in mid-1983 some 17 per cent. of the population of the United Kingdom were in receipt of a state retirement pension. This estimate excludes pensioners living outside the United Kingdom and relates to receipt of either contributory or non-contributory retirement pension.
Because of variations in pension age between member states of the European Community, information is not available centrally on the proportion of people over specific retirement ages receiving a state retirement pension. Such information as is available is contained in the publication "Eurostat: Demographic Statistics: 1984", a copy of which is in the Library.
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§ Mr. Dixonasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what percentage of the United Kingdom population is of pensionable age; and how this compares with other European Economic Community countries.
§ Mr. WhitneyThe most up-to-date and readily available information† is as follows:
Country Percentage of population of pensionable age* United Kingdom 18 Federal Republic of Germany 18 France 16 Italy 16 Netherlands 14 Belgium 16 Luxembourg 16 Ireland 13 Denmark 17 Greece 16 * To facilitate comparison, the population of pensionable age has been defined as the number of females aged 60 and over plus the number of males aged 65 and over. †Figures for countries other than United Kingdom have been compiled from Eurostat "Demographic Statistics", Statistical Office of the European Communities (1984). All figures relate to 1982 except United Kingdom (1983), Italy (1981) and Greece (1981).
§ Mr. Dixonasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what percentage of the United Kingdom Government spending goes to paying for pensions for retired persons; and how this compares with other European Economic Community countries.
§ Mr. WhitneyIt is estimated that in the financial year 1984–85, some 14 per cent. of United Kingdom Government expenditure relates to pensions for retired persons. The definition of public expenditure is that used in "The Government's Expenditure Plans 1985–86 to 1987–88" (Cmnd. 9428); pensions for retired persons are defined to include state retirement pensions, supplementary pension, the rent element of housing benefit and includes retirement pensions payable to people outside the United Kingdom. Comparable estimates for other member states of the European Community are not readily available and I shall write to the hon. Member.