North Oxfordshire MP Tony Baldry has accused Oxford East MP Andrew Smith of failing to safeguard people's pensions.

Mr Baldry, who represents people in Banbury and Bicester, dismissed a Green Paper, published by Work and Pensions Secretary Mr Smith on Tuesday (December 17) as "too little, too late".

He said: "Nowhere in this Green Paper is there a radical plan to tackle the fact that 13 million people are facing poverty in their old age."

The Government intends to increase the retirement age to 70, enabling people to continue working part-time and to draw a pension from the same firm.

Mr Smith also hopes to introduce legislation against age discrimination.

He said: "A single pensioner with £100 a week in state and second pensions could choose to take their pension at 70 and get £150 a week instead."

But Mr Baldry said: "The Green Paper is five years out of date. It's too little, too late.

"The Government needs to encourage people to save by offering tax incentives.

"It also needs to set up a cabinet committee on pensions."

Consultation on age discrimination legislation is planned next year, with a draft bill expected in 2004.