While the Government U turn on the privatisation of forestry caused much hilarity yesterday, matters probably of a much deeper concern to UNISON members were being debated.
The draft Social Security Up-rating order was laid before Parliament. For us the crucial issue is the use of CPI as the up-rating mechanism for our pensions rather than the RPI. For the average local government women pensioner on her magnificent pension of £2400 this move will cost her £40 per year, and the increasing amount in future as inflation continues to rise.
The proceedings are summarised in Hansard thus:-
Extract From Hansard
Social Security
Motion made and Question put, That the draft Social Security Benefits Up-rating Order 2011, which was laid before this House on 3 February, be approved.-(Steve Webb.)
The House divided.
Division No. 212.
Ayes: 247 (Tellers: Miss Chloe Smith, Angela Watkinson).
Noes: 19 (Tellers: Jonathan Edwards, Jeremy Corbyn).
Question accordingly agreed to.
Read the full debate at http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201011/cmhansrd/cm110217/debtext/110217-0003.htm
UNISONActive can congratulate those in the Labour Party who understand that this measure will be the cause of pensioner poverty among our members. But where were Her Majesty’s opposition when the division bell went?
The apparent explanation is that because the up-rating of State Pensions was included in the same order, “they could not be seen to vote against it”. So we must accept that Labour Party business managers are completely incompetent in their inability to separate the two measures.
We must accept the logic that the up-rating of state pensions is all right, given the deficit but that given the “burden “of public sector pensions, it is acceptable that all future public sector pensioners can be robbed, as if we are responsible for the deficit.
And as usual with the Labour Party and the philosophy of making cuts “less deeply over a longer time”, it would be all right if the CPI up-rating were a “temporary” measure.
So petty theft from pensioners is ok while inflation is 5.1%.
Trebles all round as Private EYE might say.
