HC Deb 05 December 1989 vol 163 c156W
Mr. Home Robertson

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is the total value of retirement pensions being paid during the current year, or the most recent year for which figures are available, to people resident overseas who emigrated from the United Kingdom and stopped paying national insurance contributions in the United Kingdom before 1960; and what is the total value of the national insurance contributions which were paid by those people.

Mrs. Gillian Shephard

I regret that this information is not readily available and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Mr. Nicholas Brown

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will estimate the cost of paying fully uprated state retirement pensions to all British pensioners overseas who are currently not covered by a reciprocal social security agreement to this effect.

Mrs. Gillian Shephard

I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to the hon. Member for Oldham, West (Mr. Meacher) on 29 November 1989 at column253.