§ Mr. Shersbyasked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many British subjects resident in Spain are in receipt of State retirement pensions; and in how many cases the pension payable is less than that currently payable in the United Kingdom.
§ Mr. DeakinsAt 31st December 1976, 5,553 British retirement pensions were in payment to persons in Spain; no record of their nationality is kept but the great majority are thought to be British. As a result of the reciprocal agreement on social security between the United Kingdom and Spain, pensions based on British insurance are payable in Spain at the rate which would apply if the pensioner were in this country.
§ Mr. Michael Marshallasked the Secretary of State for Social Services if, from 29W the statistics available to his Department, he is satisfied that it is still possible for a single retirement pensioner to provide himself or herself with food, heating, housing and clothing if the pensioner receives no other source of income.
§ Mr. OrmeIt has never been the position, since the inception of national insurance, that a single householder has been expected to manage on an income consisting of retirement pension alone. Anyone in this situation will be eligible to claim a supplementary pension, which includes an element to meet the cost of rent and rates and, in certain circumstances, a heating addition also. From next year, however, the build-up of rights under the Government's new earnings-related pension scheme will begin to create a situation in which a steadily increasing number of people are able to retire on national insurance pensions which are above the supplementary benefit level.