§ 17. Mr. Harry BarnesTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what would be the value of the state pension if it had been uprated in line with the increase in prices or earnings whichever was the higher since 1983.
§ 23. Mr. CorbettTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what would be the value of the state pension if it had been uprated in line with the increase in prices or earnings whichever was the higher since 1983.
§ Miss WiddecombeThe present value of the retirement pension, had it been uprated in this way, would be £55.30 for a single pensioner and £88.50 for a married couple. But the additional cost of this to the national insurance fund would be about £3.8 billion this financial year. This implies a rise in the national insurance contributions paid by an employee on average earnings of approximately £1.90 per week and £3.50 for his employer.