§ 23. Paul FlynnTo ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what plans he has to restore the link between the basic pension and earnings. [45035]
§ Mr. McCartneyRestoring the earnings link does nothing to help poorer pensioners. We will be spending an extra £6 billion a year in real terms on pensioners as a result of policies introduced since 1997. This includes £2.5 billion more on the poorest third of pensioners. This is three times more than an earnings link since 1998 would have given them.
Increases in the basic state pension over the last two years have given single pensioners £2.10 a week more than an earnings link would have given them and £3.35 more for couples.