§ Mr. Kilfedderasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is the total cost in 1971–72 of national insurance and industrial injuries benefits paid to residents of the Republic of Eire.
§ Sir K. JosephPayments in respect of British retirement pensions, widows' pensions and industrial disablement pensions to persons in the Irish Republic for the year ended 31st March, 1972, amounted to about £4.3 million. Other social security benefits are not normally paid outside Great Britain, but in respect of the same year adjusting payments of about £460,000 were made to the Republic under the terms of a reciprocal agreement. These payments were related to the extent to which insurance in one country was used to give entitlement to benefit—mainly sickness benefit—under the legislation of the other country.