§ Mrs. Renée Shortasked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will list the amounts which have been spent on the provision of retirement pensions in each year since 1979.
§ Mr. WhitneyTotal benefit expenditure on retirement pensions including basic and additional component, graduated pension and increments is as follows:
£ million 1979–80 8,816 1980–81 10,526 1981–82 12,126 1982–83 13,549 1983–84 14,613 *1984–85 15,400 * Estimated.