LONDON: British finance minister Jeremy Hunt said the ruling Conservative Party would commit to keeping the so-called triple lock system for increasing state pensions as part of its policy programme for an election expected later this year.

“I can confirm it will be, yes,” Hunt told BBC television on Sunday when asked if the triple lock would be in the Conservatives’ election manifesto.

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The pension triple lock is a government promise to raise publicly funded pensions by the level of earnings, inflation or 2.5%, whichever is highest.