§ Mr. KidneyTo ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what response he plans to make to the ending of the Social Security Agreement with Australia. [2542]
§ Mr. McCartneyThe Social Security Agreement between the UK and Australia ended on 28 February 2001. The Government announced in December that the UK pension position of people who had lived in Australia when the Agreement was in force would be protected. The Agreement allowed residence in Australia to count towards the UK retirement pension of people living in the UK. Periods of residence in Australia, up to 5 April 2001, can still be used in the pension calculation for people living permanently in the UK when they retire.
People who were already getting benefit with the help of the Agreement are not affected by its ending.