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22.
Lady Olga Maitland
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what measures his Department has taken to maintain support for the elderly.
Mr. Hague
Since 1979 we have maintained the real value of the basic retirement pension; improved choice and flexibility in pension provision so that now 67 per cent. of recently retired pensioners have income from occupational pensions; and the extra help above normal upratings made available to pensioners on income-related benefits since 1989 is now worth around £1 billion a year.