Pension Age (Hansard, 15 July 1991)

§ Mr. Foulkes
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) pursuant to his answer of 2 June,Official Report, column 112, to the hon. Member for Thanet, South (Mr. Aitken) what assessment he has made of the implications for the state earnings-related pension of the Barber judgment in the European Court of Justice;
(2) whether he will establish a consultative committee to consider equalisation of the state pension age.

§ Miss Widdecombe
The Barber judgment concerned an occupational pension scheme, but I refer the hon. Member to the statement made by my right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State, on 26 June at columns 997–1006.

§ Mr. Andrew Bowden
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what response he has made to the House of Lords European Communities Select Committee inquiry of Session 1988–89 into equal treatment in pensions and other benefits.

§ Miss Widdecombe
Our response is set out in the reply to the 10th report from the House of Lords Select Committee on the European Communities Session 1988–89 on equal treatment for men and women in pensions and other benefits (Cm. 1038).

§ Mr. Andrew Bowden
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what progress has been made towards equalisation of the state pension age.

§ Mr. Widdecombe
I refer my hon. Friend to the statement made by my right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State, on 26 June at columns 997–1006.

§ Mr. Andrew Bowden
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what studies he has commissioned from the Office of Population Censuses and Surveys into equalisation of the state pension age; and when he expects the results to be available.

§ Miss Widdecombe
No studies have been commissioned from OPCS which deal specifically with the equalisation of state pension age, but research has been commissioned into retirement behaviour. The results of this research are due to be published later this year and will provide information in areas relevant to the equalisation of state pension age, such as trends in retirement age and the reasons for early and late retirement.