§ Mr. Meacherasked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will extend the figures given in his reply to the hon. Member for Kensington (Sir B. Rhys Williams) Official Report, 28 January, columns 509–510, about earnings-related pensions to cover the years 2013, 2018, 2023, 2028, 2033, 2038 and 2043.
§ Mr. NewtonThe information requested is set out in the table. It shows the amount of earnings-related pension a contracted-in single man or woman retiring in April each year with a full contribution record would receive under the scheme proposed in "Reform of Social Security" (Cmnd. 9691) and the Social Security Bill 1986, under assumptions set out in my hon. Friend's reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Kensington (Sir B. Rhys Williams) on 17 December 1985 at columns147–48. It should be emphasised that these are highly artificial assumptions, since they are based on the proposition that a pensioner will earn at the same given level throughout a working life of 44 years (men) and 40 years (women). The estimates are based on actual average earnings up to and including 1984–85 and on estimated 1985–86 earnings thereafter. As a result of the method of calculation and of roundings, the amounts shown are slightly lower than those which would actually be paid if any pensioner did fulfil the earnings assumptions.
§ Mr. MajorRequests have been received from six area review teams: Leeds; Bradford; Humberside; Plawsworth; Leicester/Northampton; and Southampton. The Department, through its social security regional offices, has made manpower resources available to investigate local needs as part of the review of resettlement provision. Research into housing services for single homeless people is a wider issue; policy on homelessness is a matter for the Department of the Environment which 69W is currently undertaking a number of research projects concerning the single homeless including a major programme on hostel provision.