During the debate that followed the uprating Statement on Thursday 10 December, in response to a Question from the Member for Walsall, North, Mr David Winnick, I said “we have raised the basic state pension above prices every year since 1998-99” (Official Report, 10 December 2009, col. 521).

The correct Answer is as follows: “Between 1997 and April 2010 pensioners will have benefited from above-inflation increases in the basic state pension, with pensioners better off by £10 or 12 per cent in real terms in their basic state pension”.

I apologise to the House for the inadvertent error.