§ Sir Peter Emeryasked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will specify the circumstances in which a person who has lived abroad for over 20 years and who during that time has paid no national insurance contributions is eligible to claim and have paid to him abroad a United Kingdom state retirement pension.
§ Mr. WhitneyPayment of retirement pension is dependent upon satisfaction of the relevant contribution conditions. A person who has lived abroad for over 20 years, and who during that time paid no national insurance contributions, may be entitled to a reduced basic retirement pension provided he paid, or was credited with, a sufficient number of contributions during the remainder of his working life. United Kingdom retirement pensions are payable to persons living abroad but annual increases are payable only to persons living in a European Community country or in a country with whom there is a reciprocal agreement which provides for benefit increases.