Nor can it promise to spend more on health, improve education standards or increase pensions.

"It slows down or impedes our ability to increase pensions in the future."

He also refused to explain the agreement he said had been reached on a plan to increase pensions for retired state and local government workers.

Under the agreement, Ford will increase pensions by 17 percent for workers retiring with 30 years' service.

City officials have proposed an alternate measure that would increase pensions to former city workers by $65 million a year.

The remaining money in the fund will be used to increase pensions.

The cost-of-living adjustment increased individual pensions by no more than $540 in the first year, for example.

Just taking back our money from the common agricultural policy would increase pensions by 30 pounds a week.

It is not going to require all schemes to increase pensions in payment by up to a maximum of 5 per cent a year.

One promise that scored well here was a vow to increase pensions and provide free public transportation for the elderly.