§ Sir John FarrTo ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will consider compensating British pensioners in Canada when a high differential between exchange rates exists.
§ Mr. Peter LloydNo. There are no provisions in the Social Security Acts which allow adjustments to be made when variations occur in exchange rates as between the United Kingdom and other countries. United Kingdom benefit rates are set at levels appropriate to beneficiaries who are in the United Kingdom and it would neither be practicable nor fair to expect the national insurance fund and the Department to meet the costs and administrative difficulties involved in making adjustments to meet the specific situation of pensioners who are living abroad, in some 170 countries, generally as a matter of choice.