asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether he has any plans for uprating the addition paid to pensioners aged over 80 years; and if he will make a statement.

My right hon. Friend has no proposals at present to increase the age addition to retirement pensions. We take the view that in the present economic climate this is not a change which can be given a higher priority than the other measures we are taking to protect pensioners, such as maintaining the value of the basic pension or providing special fuel help for 1½ million supplementary pensioner households.