§ 17. Mr. JOELasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether his attention has been called to the effect on British pensioners, actual and potential, of the new Argentine Pensions Bill; and whether His Majesty's Government will represent to the Argentine Government the desirability of protecting legitimate British interests?
§ Sir J. SIMONIn the autumn of last year a decree was discussed by the Argentine Congress and was passed by the Chamber of Deputies, the effect of which would have been to amend the Argentine Railway Pensions Act in such a way as to render it impossible in practice for pensioners of British nationality to reside in the United Kingdom. His Majesty's Ambassador at Buenos Aires, on the instructions of His Majesty's Government, pointed out this injustice to the Argentine Government and requested that certain of the provisions of the decree should be modified. The decree was not passed by the Argentine Senate last year, and the provision which most closely affected the interests of British subjects was subsequently deleted. I understand that the Bill in its amended form is now under consideration by the Chamber of Deputies. I can assure my hon. Friend that the position will continue to be carefully watched.