§ Mr. BradyTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (1) what steps are being taken to ensure compliance by Zimbabwe with the terms of the Lancaster House agreement in relation to payment of pensions accrued during public service prior to independence and owed to British citizens; [40484]
(2) what steps are being taken to ensure continued payment by the Zimbabwean authorities of pensions owed to British citizens resident in the UK. [40483]
§ Mr. MacShaneThe British High Commission in Harare regularly reminds the Zimbabwean authorities of their obligations to pensioners under the terms of the Lancaster House agreement.
The 1979 Lancaster House agreement stipulated that the Zimbabwe Constitution should contain provisions entitling public servants to state pensions, and that pension benefits should continue to be paid to former public employees no longer resident in Zimbabwe. The agreement did not contain any undertaking by the British Government to assume responsibility for the payment of pensions to those eligible, should the Zimbabwean authorities fail to maintain payments.