Oral Answers to Questions

Andrew Bridgen Excerpts

Monday 21st November 2016 Commons Chamber

[Richard Harrington]

As my hon. Friend knows, the public finances are very complicated, and I know that he intends to wait until Wednesday to hear what the Chancellor has to say, but this matter has been looked at long and hard and transitional funds of more than £1.1 billion have been allocated. The change to the state pension age was discussed and enacted in 1995. Since then, there have been further Acts and all this has been extensively discussed.

[Andrew Bridgen (North West Leicestershire) (Con)]

I understand that reverting to the 1995 state pension timetable would cost something in the region of £39 billion. Does the Minister agree that it is easy to criticise the Government over this policy, but more difficult to explain where the money would come from for any policy changes?

[Richard Harrington]

I thank my hon. Friend for that question, and I totally agree with him.