HC Deb 21 May 1990 vol 173 cc76-7W
Mr. Riddick

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what proportion of pensioners are receiving income from(a) savings or (b) occupational pensions.

45. Mr. Paice

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what proportion of those pensioners who have recently retired are receiving income from occupational pensions or savings; and if he will make a statement.

Mrs. Gillian Shephard

The latest available figures show that, in 1987 73 per cent. of recently retired pensioners had an occupational pension and 82 per cent. had income from savings. In the same year 83 per cent. of all pensioners and 90 per cent. of those recently retired had income from one or both of these sources.

27. Mr. David Martin

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what has been the average increase in incomes since 1979 for those pensioners who receive all of their income from state benefits.

Mrs. Gillian Shephard

The latest available figures show that between 1979 and 1987 pensioners who receive all of their income from state benefits had experienced a real terms increase of over 27 per cent.

30. Mr. Simon Coombs

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what was the increase in pensioners' average net income for(a) 1974 to 1979 and (b) 1979 to date.

32. Mr. Mans

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security by how much pensioners' average net incomes have increased since 1979.

46. Mr. Alison

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what was the average annual increase in pensioners' total incomes(a) since 1979 and (b) between 1974 to 1979.

Mrs. Gillian Shephard

Between 1974 and 1979, pensioners' average total net incomes rose by an average of 0.6 per cent. per year in real terms or 3.0 per cent. over the whole period, whereas between 1979 and 1987 they rose on average by over 3 per cent. each year. In total they rose by over 31 per cent. in real terms in this Government's first eight years of office.

31. Mr. Lester

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what are the most recent figures he has for the increase in pensioners' incomes from savings since 1979.

63. Mr. Mills

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what proportion of(a) all pensioners and (b) recently retired pensioners is receiving income from savings.

65. Sir George Young

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security by how much pensioners' incomes from savings changed between(a) 1979 and the latest date and (b) 1974 to 1979; and if he will make a statement.

Mrs. Gillian Shephard

The latest available figures show that between 1979 and 1987 pensioners' average income from savings more than doubled in real terms. This compares favourably with the period from 1974 to 1979 when the value of pensioners' savings fell by 16 per cent. In 1987, 73 per cent. of all pensioners and 82 per cent. of recently retired pensioners received income from savings.

67. Miss Emma Nicholson

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what are the latest available figures on the proportion of pensioners whose incomes fall in the lowest fifth of national income distribution.

Mrs. Gillian Shephard

The latest available figures show that in 1987 only 24 per cent. of pensioners had incomes in the lowest fifth of national income distribution; whereas, when we took office in 1979, 38 per cent. of pensioners fell into the lowest fifth.