§ Mrs. BeckettTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Services what is the value in real terms of the basic retirement pension with effect from 11 April, taking November 1978 as the base and calculated according to the rise in average earnings since that date.
§ Mr. ScottIt will not be possible to compare the level of basic pension from April 1988 with that in November 1978 against the rise in average earnings over that period until earnings figures for April become available in mid-June.