To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, pursuant to his answer of 16 December, Official Report, column 89–90, if he will give the rates of disablement gratuities and pensions since 1979, at 1991–92 prices.

The rates of disablement gratuities and pensions since 1979 at 1991–92 prices are shown in the table.Column A refers to the equivalent value of benefit at April 1991 prices at the date of annual uprating.Column B refers to the average real value of benefit at April 1991 prices and calculated over the period between the uprating dates.For awards from:living in a council house, for each year since 1979, that was needed for

[holding answer 16 December 1991]: The figures in the table are for a standard tax benefit model family with children aged four and six. Although they are unlikely to be much—if at all—different, figures for the family type specified could be ascertained only at disproportionate cost.It is not possible to include figures for water and sewerage charges as some local authorities include sewerage charges in their rates/community charge while others do not.