§ Mr. WelshTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) what was the total expenditure on the state 249W pension in the United Kingdom and the total expenditure on the state pension in Scotland in the last financial year; and if he will estimate expenditure on this for (a) 2001–02, (b) 2002–03 and (c) 2003–04; [96714]
(2) how many pensioners in the United Kingdom and Scotland are in receipt of the state pension; and if he will estimate the number who will be in receipt of the state pension in (a) 2001–02, (b) 2002–03 and (c) 2003–04. [96715]
§ Mr. RookerFigures for outturn and planned Retirement Pension expenditure and estimated numbers receiving Retirement Pension in respect of Great Britain from 1993–94 to 2001–02 were published in the Departmental Report 1999 (Cm 4214). No estimates are available for 2001–03 and 2003–04.
An estimate of Retirement Pension expenditure and estimated numbers in Scotland for 1998–99 is calculated from administrative data from the Pensioners Strategy Computer System. Similar data are not available for future years.
Such information as is available is in the tables.
250W
Estimated expenditure on pensioners in receipt of retirement pension in Great Britain and Scotland £ billion Great Britain 1 Scotland 1998–99 estimated outturn 35.6 3.0 1999–2000 plans 37.4 n/a 2000–01 plans 38.4 n/a 2001–02 plans 40.2 n/a 1 Total Retirement Pension (basic element and earnings-related component) Source:
Table 1 Departmental Report 1999
Estimated numbers of pensioners in receipt of retirement pension in Great Britain and Scotland Thousand Great Britain Scotland 1998–991 10,752 868 1999–20002 forecast 10,789 n/a 2000–012 forecast 10,884 n/a 2001–022 forecast 10,945 n/a 1 5 per cent. sample of Pensioners Strategy Computer System as at 31 March 1999 2 Table 12 Departmental Report 1999