§ Mr. WelshTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) what information he has on the projected level of the state retirement pension for each of the following five years for each of the European Union member states; and what percentage change this represents relative to the projection for the previous year; [21258]
(2) what is the current level of state retirement pension paid in each European Union member state; and what percentage increase or decrease this represents relative to the previous year. [21257]
§ Mr. ArbuthnotThe information is not available in the form requested, as most European Union member states operate wholly earnings-related state retirement pension schemes, unlike the United Kingdom.
Information on retirement pensions in the EU, and their annual adjustments, is contained in the "MISSOC" tables, "Social Protection in the Member States of the Community', published by the European Commission. Information about retirement pensions in the three new member states, Austria, Finland, and Sweden, may be found in "Comparative tables of social security schemes in Council of Europe member states, published by the Council of Europe. Copies of both publications are in the Library."