UNALLOCATED NATIONAL INSURANCE FUND MONEY

Early day motion 890, tabled 5 March 1998 by Paul Flynn (Labour). Signed by 22 members.

That this House condemns the previous Government for their failure since 1980 to increase basic pensions in line with earnings which resulted in the ú64.70 single pension from April 1998 which would otherwise have been ú89.60; notes with pleasure that ú896 million remains unallocated in the National Insurance Fund for next year, just over half of which is enough to restore the earnings link without infringing the spending plans of this or the previous Government; and believes the Government can reassert their manifesto promise that all pensioners should share fairly in the increasing prosperity of the nation, by restoring the earnings link for 1998-99 without prejudice to the current review.

Signatures by party: Labour 18, Liberal Democrat 2, Labour/Co-operative 1, Plaid Cymru 1.