HC Deb 03 February 1992 vol 203 c91W
11. Mr. McAllion

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what was the current value of the basic state pension for(a) single pensioners and (b) married couple pensioners in 1980; and what is the comparable figure for 1992, uprated for each year in line with the increase in average earnings.

Miss Widdecombe

This April the basic retirement pension will be uprated to £54.15 for a single person and £86.70 for a married couple. Uprating by average earnings since 1980 would imply weekly rates of £68.65 and £109.60 respectively from April which would cost a man on average earnings and his employer £9.40 per week between them in extra national insurance contributions.

16. Mr. Hain

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is the current level of the married couple's retirement pension and the corresponding figure for 1979, updated by reference to annual increases in prices and average male adult earnings, whichever was the greater.

Miss Widdecombe

The current weekly level of basic retirement pension for a married couple is £83.25. The calculation for which the hon. Member asks would give a figure of £105.40, and would entail an increase of £8.70 per week in the national insurance contributions payable by a man on average earnings and his employer.

Mr. Kirkwood

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what would be the cost of raising the basic state pension in 1992–93 to(a) £60 per week for single people, £96 per week for married couples and (b) £59.15 per week for single people, £94.70 per week for married couples, on the basis that the increased pensions were paid to all regardless of contributory record.

Miss Widdecombe

The extra cost to the national insurance fund of providing a flat rate basic retirement pension to all Great Britain residents of state pension age or over to replace all other flat rate contributory benefits in 1992–93 would be(a) £4.3 billion and (b) £3.9 billion. There would be some off-setting savings on expenditure on income-related benefits.

The combined weekly cost in extra national insurance contributions of these changes to a man on average earnings and his employer would be (a) £6 and (b) £5.50.