§ Matthew TaylorTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment he has made of the proportion of the rise in Government liabilities resulting from unfunded parts of the armed forces pension scheme in the last five years due to(a) wage inflation, (b) longevity. (c) extension of the rights of part-time workers and (d) other factors; and if he will make a statement. [67023]
§ Mr. IngramA detailed breakdown of reasons for the increased liabilities of the armed forces pension scheme cannot he provided. However, the most significant factors in the increase from 43.7 billion at 1 April 1997 to 51 billion at 1 April 2001 have been price inflation and real wage increases. Trends in pensioner longevity will also have had an impact but the effect of rights of part-time workers is considered to have been minimal.