§ Mr. ChurchillTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is his best estimate of the cost in 1996–97 of granting Britain's expatriate pensioners whose pensions are frozen(a) the same increment as they would receive were they to be resident in Great Britain and (b) of closing the gap between the frozen pension and the full amount to which they would be entitled were they to be resident in Great Britain by 20 per cent. [31538]
§ Mr. ArbuthnotThe estimated cost of paying a single year's uprating is about £16 million, based on 1994 rates.
The estimated cost of paying 20 per cent. of the difference between the amount currently payable and the amount which would be payable were the pensioners resident in Great Britain is £47 million in the first year.