§ Mr. FlynnTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, pursuant to his answer on 18 April 2000,Official Report, column 439W, on pensions, what the National Insurance Fund balance would be, and how far above the minimum level recommended by the Government Actuary, at the end of each of the years (a) 2000–01, (b) 2001–02, (c) 2002–03 and (d) 2003–04, if the basic pension and linked benefit rates remained at their present level in 2000–01 and were uprated in line with prices thereafter. [121195]
§ Mr. RookerPrecise long-term forecasts of any excess to the Fund reserves would be misleading, given the sensitivity of the differences between forecasts of receipts and expenditure to the variables involved. The Government Actuary's report1 shows a projected Fund balance of £16.6 billion at the end of the 2000–01 financial year, which is £8.8 billion in excess of the minimum recommended.
1Report by the Government Actuary on the drafts of the Social Security Benefits Uprating Order 2000 and the Social Security (Contributions) (Re-rating and National Insurance Funds Payments) Order 2000. Cm 4587, January 2000.