Newport West MP Paul Flynn celebrated his 65th birthday on Wednesday by stepping up a campaign on the Government to ensure pensioners receive all the benefits they are entitled to.

On the day he qualifies for his own state pension, Mr Flynn is leading an adjournment debate in the House of Commons on the take-up of the Government's Minimum Income Guarantee to pensioners.

"According to the government's figures, 700,000 of the poorest pensioners are losing on average £18.80 a week," Mr Flynn said in a statement prior to the debate.

"Action was promised in July 1998 by the Secretary of State for Social Security, who said that data matching would begin in April 1999, but nothing has happened.

"I was told in a written answer that action would be taken in future, but no date could be given.

"The pensioners lost the money not through any fault of their own, but through the fault of government, and it would be wrong for it to be pocketed by the Treasury.

Poorest pensioners

"The government's figures indicate that a total of £684m, due to the poorest pensioners, is lost each year.

"The current proposals do not include backdating the claims, which means that the pensioners have lost almost £1000 each because of the government's delays."

Mr Flynn has created controversy in the last week with his comments on the sensitive issue of farmer suicides and his call for First Secretary Alun Michael to step down.