§ 35. Mr. John H. Osbornasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what steps he will now take to ensure that British citizens who have worked in the United Kingdom and who now reside abroad as retirement pensioners are given the increases normally given to those who retire and live in the United Kingdom.
§ Mr. OrmeBritish retirement pensions are payable anywhere in the world but except where the pensioner is in another member State of the EEC or in a country with which the United Kingdom has negotiated a reciprocal agreement providing for the payment of increases, they are held at the rates payable on departure from the United Kingdom or when entitlement first arises, if later.
The question whether increases should be given to all United Kingdom pensioners abroad is considered by Ministers 572W at the time of each pension uprating. I have no proposals for varying this practice.