Mr. Alan W. WilliamsTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security by how much in total pensioners' income will have risen between May 1997 and April 2001 as a result of Government measures; and what this figure would have been if basic pensions had been linked to the rise in average earnings over the same period. [140240]
§ Mr. RookerThe average pensioner household will have seen their net income rise by £9.10 a week over and above inflation by April 2001 thanks to the measures introduced since 1997 (Minimum Income Guarantee, Winter Fuel payments and the real rise in the Basic State Pension). If we include the effects of tax changes over the same period the average pensioner household will have seen their net income rise £10.90 per week.
By way of comparison the average pensioner household would have seen their net income rise by only £3.10 above inflation if pensions had been linked to earnings since 1997, and £4.90 if the effects of tax changes were included. In addition many pensioner households also gain £2 a week from free TV Licences for the over 75s.