§ Mr. Meacherasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what has been the expenditure on the state earnings-related pension scheme in each year since 1978; what has been the number of pensioners benefiting and the average level of additional pension paid in each of these years; and what is the forecast level of expenditure on this scheme, stating the assumptions used (i) for each year till 1998 and (ii) for each year till 2030, in each case indicating the number of pensioner beneficiaries each year, and the average level of earnings-related pension each year.
§ Mr. WhitneyI shall let the hon. Member have a reply as soon as possible.