§ Mr. Spellerasked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will list the basic state retirement pension as a percentage of the average manual worker's wage in the years 1957, 1961, 1971 and the latest year for which figures are available.
§ Mr. ScottThe table shows the rate of basic pension expressed as a percentage of the net average income' of male manual workers at uprating dates in the years specified or the nearest to them. No uprating took place in 1957.
Single person Married couple Per cent. Per cent. January 1958 23.9 36.0 April 1961 23.9 36.2 September 1971 27.3 42.0 April 19872 29.8 45.3 1 Net average income is gross average earnings less tax and national insurance contributions at the non-contracted out rate. 2 Estimated figures. Provisional earnings figures available only for April 1987.