§ 18. Mr. PikeTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many pensioners receive less than the full pension unprating in April 1989 due to having current protected transitional income support payments.
§ Mr. Peter LloydPrecise information is not available, but we estimate that of the 1.7 million pensioners on income support 1.2 million will receive the full increase and 0.3 million a partial increase.
§ 24. Mr. EasthamTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security at what level the basic old-age pension would now stand if it had been uprated in line with earnings since 1979.
§ Mr. ScottBased on annual upratings in line with earnings, the current weekly value of the basic retirement pension would be £48.80 for a single pensioner and £78.15 for a pensioner couple. The key indicator of the priority that this Government give to pensioners' income is the 23 per cent. real-terms increase in pensioners' average total net income during our first seven years in office.
§ 31. Mr. Martyn JonesTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what would be the level of basic pensions in April 1989 for single persons and couples had they been uprated in line with earnings since 1980.
§ Mr. ScottBased on annual upratings in line with earnings since 1980, the level of basic retirement pension in April 1989 would be £53.20 for a single pensioner, and £85.20 for a pensioner couple.
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§ 42. Mrs. ClwydTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security at what level the basic old-age pension would now stand if it had been uprated in line with earnings since 1979.
§ Mr. ScottThe information requested is as follows:
Value of retirement pension if increased in line with average earnings since 1979 Uprating dates Single Couple £ £ November 1979 23.20 37.15 November 1980 27.35 43.80 November 1981 30.50 48.85 November 1982 33.05 52.90 November 1983 35.95 57.50 November 1984 37.75 60.40 November 1985 41.05 65.70 July 1986 43.35 69.40 April 1987 45.25 72.45 April 1988 48.80 78.15 April 1989 53.00 84.85
§ Mr. BattleTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will publish a table showing the current level of retirement pension for a single pensioner and a pensioner couple if uprated by prices or earnings, whichever was the higher, each year since 1980.
§ Mr. Scott[pursuant to his reply, 22 February 1989, e. 682]: I regret that the figures provided have been found to contain an error. The figures assume that the upratings which took effect from November 1983 and November 1984 were based on the increase in prices or average earnings over the periods November 1982 to November 1983, and November 1983 to November 1984.. The increases should have been measured over the 12 months to May in each case.
The amended figures are as follows:
Up-rating Dates Value of Retirement Pension if increased in line with the higher prices or average earnings Single Couple £ £ November 1980 27.45 44.00 November 1981 30.75 49.30 November 1982 33.30 53.40 November 1983 36.20 58.05 November 1984 38.05 61.00 November 1985 41.40 66.35 July 1986 43.70 70.05 April 1987 45.60 73.15 April 1988 49.20 78.95
§ Mr. WinnickTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security at what level the basic old-age pension would now stand if it had been uprated in line with earnings since 1979.
§ Mr. Scott[pursuant to his reply, 23 February 1989, c. 758]: I regret that the figures provided have been found to contain an error. The figures assume that the upratings which took effect from November 1983 and November 1984 were based on the increase in average earnings over the periods November 1982 to November 1983, and November 1983 to November 1984. The increase should have been measured over the 12 months to May in each case.
The information requested, with the amended figures, is as follows:
443WBased on annual upratings in line with earnings since 1979, the current weekly value of basic retirement pension would be £48.80 for a single pensioner, and £78.15 for a pensioner couple.