§ Mr. MeacherTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will set out in detail the basis of his calculation, Official Report, 27 November, column 525, that pensioners' total incomes have increased by about 23 per cent. in real terms since 1979.
§ Mrs. Gillian ShephardI refer the hon. Member to the article "Pensioners incomes and expenditure" which appeared in theEmployment Gazette, of May 1987, a copy of which is in the Library. The same basis of calculation was used in arriving at the 1979–86 real terms increase of 23 per cent. in pensioners' average total net income.