HC Deb 19 March 1996 vol 274 cc180-1W
Mr. Waterson

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what information he holds on benefit replacement ratios in 1994–95; and if he will make a statement. [22056]

Mr. Andrew Mitchell

The information is in the table.

4. The baseline costs assume that state pension ages are equalised at 65 in 2020 in accordance with the provisions of the Pensions Act 1995.

Mr. Chris Smith

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what estimate he has made of the cost to the Exchequer of paying the state retirement pension on the day when the pensioner reaches pensionable age. [13142]

Mr. Heald

I refer the hon. Member to the reply given to the hon. Member for Manchester, Withington (Mr. Bradley) on 23 October 1995,Official Report, columns 485–86. Unfortunately, there was a factual error in the reply. The correct information is as follows.

The estimated gross cost of paying state retirement pension from the day the pensioner reaches state pension age is £14 million.

This figure includes basic and additional pension and cases who are awarded after reaching minimum pension age.

Mr. Luff

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many people's national insurance contributions record leaves them without entitlement to a full retirement pension; and how many of these are(a) women below retirement age and (b) women above retirement age. [20736]

Mr. Heald

At 31 March 1995, there were 4,642,330 people over state pension age whose national insurance contributions record leaves them without entitlement to a full retirement pension. Of these, 4,449,500 were women. The information is not available for people under state pension age.

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