To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services when he intends to bring forward proposals for retirement ages and pensions following the review he announced in answer to the hon. Member for Dorset North (Mr. Baker) on 25 February, Official Report, column 295.

We cannot at this stage predict when the work we are doing on considering options for change in pension age will yield results. In carrying forward this work, we must also have regard to the proposed EC directive completing the implementation of the principle of equal treatment for men and women in statutory and occupational social security schemes which is currently under discussion.