To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if she will introduce measures to ensure that the basic pension is increased in line with increasing national prosperity. [4354]

There are many ways in which pensioners can share in rising national prosperity—through contributory pension entitlements, through other benefits, or through the income derived from savings.Our review of pensions will consider the central areas of insecurity for elderly people including all aspects of the basic pension and its value. We will retain the basic pension as the foundation of security in retirement and we will increase it at least in line with prices.

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what plans she has to introduce a flexible decade of retirement. [4356]

The pensions review, details of which my right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State, will announce in due course, will examine all aspects of basic pension and its value.