HL Deb 26 June 1974 vol 352 cc1586-8WA
THE EARL OF CLANCARTY

asked Her Majesty's Government:

(1) whether they will use their influence to persuade the Governments of Zambia and Malawi to accept and adopt the principle of automatic increases in State pensions to the Federal Pensioners, since the Funds deficits do not themselves stand in the way of possible increases;

(2) by how much pensions have decreased (taking the cost of living indices as 100 per cent. in 1965) in 1970, and to date.

LORD GORONWY-ROBERTS

(1) We keep in touch with both Governments who know our concern. But the question of increases for Federal Pensioners is linked (Clause 11 of the Central African Public Officers Agreement 1964 —Cmd. 2387) to the question of increases for other Public Service Pensioners in those countries. That is very much a matter for those Governments and they have to make their own decisions. I am not sure that it would help the Federal Pensioners if we tried to intervene.

(2) In relation to cost of living indices in the United Kingdom, Federal Pensions decreased by 20 per cent. from 1965 to 1970 and by 39 per cent. from 1965 to date. Similar details of cost of living indices in Malawi, Zambia and Southern Rhodesia are not readily available.

House adjourned at twenty-eight minutes past eight o'clock.