asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if she will give comparable figures for basic pension for a married couple living in the United Kingdom, Germany and France.

The standard rate of retirement pension payable to a married couple in the United Kingdom is now £18·50 a week. There is no basic rate of pension in Germany or France. In Germany the pension is based on the number of years of insurance and average earnings, with no increase for a dependent wife. In France the pension is based on average earnings, with a minimum pension of 146 francs a week for a married couple if the man has been insured for at least 15 years.