§ Mr. KidneyTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security for what reason the April state pension increase is determined by reference to the preceding September's RPI; and if he will list the RPI rates for(a) September and (b) April in each year since September 1994. [118768]
§ Mr. RookerSeptember's RPI has been used as a base for uprating since April 1987. Using the September index, which is published in the middle of October, allows time for the preparation of the uprating schedule and the review process before operational implementation begins at the end of November with a computer sweep of the Retirement Pension caseload. The operational timetable is designed so that those renewal order books which cover pre and post April periods can be issued with the correct rates of benefit. Order books, which generally cover a period of 20 weeks, start to be issued with the new rates of benefit in mid-December.
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§ Mr. PicklesTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) when he intends to up-rate the capital limits for the disabled; [118612]
(2) for how many years the capital limits of pensioners and the disabled have been the same; and when they were last different; [118614]
(3) what are the current capital limits for (a) pensioners, (b) the disabled and (c) other persons claiming social security payments. [118613]
§ Mr. RookerThe information is in the table.
The published RP1 for September and April since September 994 Year Percentage September 1994 2.2 1995 3.9 1996 2.1 1997 3.6 1998 3.2 April 1995 3.3 1996 2.4 1997 2.4 1998 4.0 1999 1.6 Note:
The RPI for September 1999 was 1.1 per cent.
Source:
Abstract of Statistics for Social Security Benefits and Contributions and Indices of Prices and Earnings