HC Deb 07 December 1988 vol 143 cc181-2W
Mr. Andrew Bowden

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what plans he has to abolish the earnings rule for retirement pensions.

Mr. Peter Lloyd

None.

1978–79 1979–80 1980–81 1981–82 1982–83 1983–84 1984–85 1985–86 1986–87
Widow's allowance
Average number of beneficiaries (thousands) 36 37 34 34 33 32 31 30 30
Expenditure (£ million) 65 75 80 84 80 83 84 84 87
Widowed mother's allowance
Average number of beneficiaries (thousands) 123 119 117 114 110 105 100 93 88
Expenditure (£ million) 156 165 188 207 (including £1 million AP)2 215 (including £3 million AP)2 222 (including £5 million AP)2 219 (including £8 million AP)2 215 (including £11 million AP)2 214 (including £13 million AP)2
Death grant (by calendar year)
Awards (thousands) 583 593 593 591 597 600 1600 601 1600
Expenditure (£ million) 16 16 16 17 17 17 17 18 18
Maternity grant
Awards (thousands) 622 659 654 1640 653 662 1700 694 1560
Expenditure (£ million) 16 16 16 16 16 17 18 17 14
1 Estimates.
2 Records of expenditure on widowed mothers allowance include amounts of additional Pension payable.

Mrs. Beckett

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will publish in theOfficial Report (a) the most recent figures for numbers of claimants and levels of expenditure, (b) the anticipated end of the year outturn on numbers of claimants and levels of expenditure and (c) the

Mr. Andrew Bowden

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will identify those countries in which annual increments are paid to United Kingdom pensioners without a reciprocal social security agreement existing between the United Kingdom and the country concerned.

Mr. Peter Lloyd

Outside the European Community and Sark, pension uprating increases are paid to United Kingdom pensioners only in those countries with which we have a social security agreement that specifically provides for such increases to be paid. Pensions payable to EC nationals living in the Community are uprated by virtue of Community rules. Pensions payable in Sark are increased in line with United Kingdom rates by virtue of a separate provision of the Social Security Benefit (Persons Abroad) Regulations 1975.

Mr. Bowis

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will list the benefits in cash and kind received by pensioners in the United Kingdom and in each country of the European Community.

Mr. Peter Lloyd

I refer my hon. Friend to the tables of social benefit systems in the European Communities, a copy of which is in the Library. The tables set out, for the principal schemes, the rates payable from 1 January 1988. Comparative statistics on benefits in kind are not available.