Edinburgh Lib Dem MP calls for immediate restoration of earnings link to pensions

12.00.00pm BST (GMT +0100) Thu 5th Jun 2008

Kevin Lang and the Liberal Democrats are fighting for a fairer deal for pensioners

John Barrett, Liberal Democrat MP for Edinburgh West, has used a House of Commons debate to call on the Labour Government to immediately restore the link between earnings and pensions to help combat pensioner poverty.

Speaking during a debate in Westminster, the Edinburgh West MP criticised Labour for failing to restore the earnings link that was previously broken by the last Conservative administration. The Government has pledged to restore the earnings link although there has yet to be any date set for this.

John Barrett said, "Our pensions system is in desperate need of reform. With the rising cost of living it is even more important than before that we restore the earnings link to pension immediately so that pensioners get a fairer deal in retirement.

"The complex means testing of the pensions credit has meant that too often help has not reached those who need it most.

"The Government must join the growing consensus that the only long term solution is a universal state pension, which is fairer to women, uprated in line with earnings and set at a level which encourages saving by putting an end to means-testing."

Lib Dem parliamentary candidate for Edinburgh North & Leith, Kevin Lang added, "Every week, I meet pensioners in Leith and North Edinburgh who are simply struggling to get by. I believe it is a scandal that after ten years of a Labour Government, so many pensioners still live in poverty.

"It is time that pensioners were provided with a decent state pension rather than being forced onto Labour's ineffective and demeaning means tested benefits."