HC Deb 09 November 1988 vol 140 c221W
Mr. Adley

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many additional persons are qualified to receive and are in receipt of retirement pensions now, compared with 1979.

Mr. Peter Lloyd

In 1979, 8.8 million pensioners were in receipt of basic retirement pension. By March 1988 this figure had risen to 9.8 million. This represents an increase over the period of 11.4 per cent.