§ Mr. Tim Smithasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is the retirement pension for a single person and a married couple in the United Kingdom, each of the other EEC member States. Canada, Australia and New Zealand expressed in £ sterling.
§ Mr. OrmeStandard rates of pension exist in only four member States of the EEC: the United Kingdom, Denmark, Ireland, and the Netherlands. In the other member States pensions are calculated as a proportion of past earnings over widely differing reference periods—e.g. whole working life, last 10 years—and with widely differing rules relating to the dynamisation of past earnings for calculation purposes. The United Kingdom, Denmark, Ireland and the Netherlands are the only EEC countries to have a "married" rate of pension.
The weekly equivalents of current standard rates of pension are:
Single person Married couple (£ sterling) (£ sterling) United Kingdom 19.50 31.20 Denmark 37.34 42.44 Ireland 16.05 28.15 Netherlands 52.58 76.91 Canada 16.24 32.48 Australia 29.50 49.20 New Zealand 35.36 58.93 Notes:
- 1. In the United Kingdom, all persons retired since 1961 who have paid more than a minimum in graduated contributions have accumulated, in addition to their basic pension, some graduated retirement benefit. Additional pension is also payable to pensioners aged 80 or over.
- 2. In Denmark, in addition to the national pension, a supplementary pension is normally payable based on the number of years of insurance.
- 3. In Ireland, additional pension is payable to pensioners who live alone or who are aged 80 or over.
- 4. In Canada, an earnings-related pension may be payable in addition to the standard pension.