asked the Minister for the Civil Service what was the cost to the taxpayer of inflation-proofing Civil Service pensions in each of the last five financial years; and what is the expected cost in the current financial year and in the year to April 1981.

It is estimated that the additional cost over the first full year—it declines progressively thereafter—of implementing increases in Civil Service pensions under the Pensions (Increase) Act 1971—as amended—was as follows:

Year	Main percentage increase	First year's cost £ million
1972	9·9	9
1973	9·3	10
1974	16·5	21
1975	261	41
1976	13·8	31
1977	17·7	48
1978	7·4	25
1979	16·0	61

These figures exclude the offsetting effect on public expenditure of the pension contributions made by civil servants both directly and by reductions in salary levels. The cost of increases after November 1979 will depend on the estimated increase in prices from one uprating date to the next.