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Correction (Statement)

During the debate that followed the up-rating statement on 10 December 2009, in response to a question from my hon. Friend the Member for Walsall, North, (Mr. Winnick, I said:""we have raised the basic state pension above prices every year since 1998-99." [10 December 2009, Official Report, column 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.