§ Mr. MeacherTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security by how much the current £35 per week threshold for abatement of unemployment benefit where an unemployed person has an occupational pension in excess of £35 per week would need to be increased to bring it in line with the change in(a) prices and (b) earnings since its introduction.
§ Miss WiddecombeThe current £35 per week threshold would need to he increased to £62.89 to bring it in line with the change in the RPI between April 1981 and April 1991 and £79.00 to bring it in line with the change in earnings between April 1981 and April 1991. It would not be the best use of resources to increase the limit for those who have some support through an occupational or personal pension scheme.
Note: The earnings index used was the New Series Index (Whole Economy) Seasonally Adjusted.