§ 20. Mr. SquireTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will detail the movement in pensioners' real earnings(a) between 1974 and 1979 and (b) 1979 and to the latest date and compare each with the underlying movement in average earnings for the same period.
§ Mr. NewtonMy hon. Friend will be interested to hear that the average real value of the earnings of those single pensioners in work, or pensioner couples where one or both were working, increased by 36 per cent. between 1979 and 1988. This compared with a decrease of 6 per cent. between 1974 and 1979. The average real earnings of the whole economy rose by 1 per cent. between 1974 and 1979 and by 25 per cent. between 1979 and 1988.
§ Mr. Brandon-BravoTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is the average income of a single pensioner and a pensioner couple on income support; and what is the total weekly value of their income from all benefits.
78W
§ Mr. NewtonI refer my hon. Friend to my reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Dulwich (Mr. Bowden) earlier today.
§ 21. Mr. PawseyTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will give an estimate of the trend in pensioners' real incomes since 1979.
§ Mr. NewtonMy hon. Friend will be pleased to hear that the average total net income of single pensioners and pensioner couples increased by 34 per cent. between 1979 and 1988.
§ Dame Elaine Kellett-BowmanTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what will be the increase in income support rates for a pensioner couple aged over 80 years as a result of this year's uprating.
§ Miss WiddecombeA pensioner couple aged over 80 years will see an increase in their income support of £7.70 at the April 1992 uprating. This is an increase of 8.7 per cent. We have increased the higher pensioner premium by £1.50 for couples and £1 for single people, in addition to the 7 per cent. increase in income support personal allowances and premiums. This premium is payable to disabled pensioners aged 60 to 79 as well as those aged over 80.