HC Deb 12 March 1997 vol 292 cc255-6W
Mr. Corbyn

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, pursuant to his answer of 25 February,Official

Report, column 200, what has been the average real increase since 1979 in the incomes of men who were then aged 65 years and women who were then aged 60 years, and whose income consisted of (a) the basic state pension and (b) the basic pension and supplementary benefit; and what has been the average increase in income of men and women of working ages over the same period. [19536]

Mr. Heald

The necessary longitudinal information is not available.

Ms Harman

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will estimate the number of pensioners who will be in receipt of(a) basic pension guarantee, (b) income support and (c) other means-tested benefits in (i) 2040, (ii) 2050, (iii) 2060 and (iv) 2070 under the basic pension plus proposals. [19903]

Mr. Heald

The figure of around £10 billion per annum for possible expenditure on the basic pension guarantee, given in the technical note, is a very broad estimate. It is not possible to say what precise numbers of pensioners could qualify for some guaranteed payments at such a distant date. We do not expect the number of pensioners in receipt of income support and other means-tested benefits to rise as a result of basic pension plus.