HC Deb 15 March 1993 vol 221 cc118-20W
15. Mrs. Lait

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security by how much more than inflation benefits for lower income pensioners have been increased since 1989.

Miss Widdecombe

I refer my hon. Friend to my oral answer earlier today to the hon. Member for St Ives (Mr. Harris).

20. Mr. Tony Banks

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will publish a league table of European Community countries listing their comparative levels of social security provision for pensioners.

Miss Widdecombe

League tables of such provision are usually misleading, as most other member states, unlike the United Kingdom, have wholly earnings-related pension schemes. Direct comparison of pension rates is not therefore possible. In order to make a meaningful comparison it would be necessary to take into account the total benefit package available to pensioners.

The Department recently completed a comparative exercise of six member states, using data supplied by an independent firm of actuaries. The exercise indicated that when factors such as safety net provision and health care are taken into account, British pensioners who previously had been on low earnings are better off than those in Germany, France, Italy and Spain, and only just behind those in the Netherlands. It also showed that occupational pensions bring the total pension package for many British pensioners previously on average earnings up to the level available in the larger EC countries.

22. Mr. Pickles

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what proportion of pensioners were in the top half of the income distribution in 1979 and at the last available date.

Miss Widdecombe

The table shows the proportion of pensioners in the top half of the overall population income distribution.

1979 1988–89
Pensioner couples (BHC) 24 28
Single pensioners (BHC) 21 23
All pensioners (BHC) 23 26
Pensioner couples (AHC) 25 33
Single pensioners (AHC) 25 27
All pensioners (AHC) 25 30

Notes:

1. Figures have been calculated using the methodology used to produce HBAI results. They therefore relate to individual pensioners (rather than pensioner units), and assume all members of a household share the same standard of living.

2. 1988–89 denotes a combined sample from the 1988 and 1989 family expenditure surveys.

3. BHC and AHC denote before and after housing costs respectively.

4. Percentages may not add to 100 owing to rounding.

26. Mr. Thurnham

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is his estimate of the trend in pensioners' real income since 1979.

Miss Widdecombe

Between 1979 and 1989 the total net average income of pensioner units' increased, in real terms, by 30 per cent. before housing costs are taken into account and by 37 per cent. after housing costs. Both single pensioners and pensioner couples enjoyed increases in their real net incomes of 29 per cent. before housing costs and 33 per cent. and 36 per cent. respectively after housing costs are taken into account.

Source: Family Expenditure Survey 1989..

1. Pensioner units are defined as single people over state pension age and couples in which the husband is over state pension age.

27. Mr. Mark Robinson

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is his estimate of the trend in the real income of pensioners since 1979.

Miss Widdecombe

I refer my hon. Friend to my oral answer to the hon. Member for Bolton, North-East (Mr. Thurnham) earlier today.