Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what information his Department holds on the number of pensioners whose contributions were paid prior to 1997 who are not receiving annual increases to their private pension payments which are in line with the retail price index.

The Department for Work and Pensions does not currently hold the information to answer either of these questions. The Department is not able to provide this information or make an estimate of potential costs as the information requested is not collated centrally and could only be provided at disproportionate cost.