HC Deb 08 May 2002 vol 385 cc242-4W
Andrew Mackinlay

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when Her Majesty's Government were informed of the discriminatory pensions practices of Gibraltar that he reported to the House on 16 April 2002,Official Report, column 453. [52966]

Peter Hain

[holding answer 29 April 2002]: HCA was introduced in 1989. The then Government first raised in 1990 the concern that such a scheme should not be discriminatory in nature. We have continued to press the Government of Gibraltar for a fuller picture of this scheme and the elderly persons allowance.

Andrew Mackinlay

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list the discriminatory pensions practices of Gibraltar that he referred to in the House on 16 April 2002,Official Report, column 453. [52964]

Peter Hain

[holding answer 29 April 2002]: We are particularly concerned about the household cost allowance paid to those of pensionable age in Gibraltar. We also have some concerns about the elderly persons allowance.

Andrew Mackinlay

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he was informed that the European Commission was embarking on an investigation into potentially illegal practices in relation to pensions in Gibraltar. [52962]

Peter Hain

[holding answer 29 April 2002]: The European Commission approached Her Majesty's Government on 12 July 2001 in relation to this matter.

Andrew Mackinlay

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs on what occasions Ministers have informed the Committees of the House about the discriminatory pensions practices of Gibraltar that he reported to the House on 16 April 2002,Official Report, column 453. [52952]

Peter Hain

[holding answer 29 April 2002]: As I told the House on 16 April 2002, Official Report, column 453, we are concerned that pensions practices in Gibraltar may be discriminatory under EC law. The permanent undersecretary at the FCO briefed the Public Accounts Committee on 15 December 1997. The Secretary of State wrote to the PAC in July 1998. I wrote on 8 March of this year and will be doing so again to provide an update of recent events. I also wrote in confidence to the Foreign Affairs Committee on 17 April.

Andrew Mackinlay

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs on which dates the discriminatory pensions practices of Gibraltar have been formally raised with the Gibraltar Government in the past 10 years(a) in writing and (b) in discussions with Ministers. [52965]

Peter Hain

[holding answer 29 April 2002]: During the period from 1998 the Government have raised the matter with the Government of Gibraltar in writing on the following dates: 17 February 1998, 6 March 1998, 29 July 1998, 31 July 2001, 23 August 2001, 19 September 2001, 20 September 2001 and 8 March 2002.

British Ministers discussed the issue with the Chief Minister of Gibraltar on 28 January 1998. I last wrote to the Government of Gibraltar on this on 8 March 2002.

To obtain the requested information for the period prior to 1998 would necessitate a search of a large number of files which could be carried out only at disproportionate cost.

Andrew Mackinlay

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he informed the Government of Gibraltar prior to referring in the House on 16 April 2002, Official Report, column 453, to the discriminatory pensions practices of Gibraltar. [52963]

Peter Hain

[holding answer 29 April 2002]: As I told the House on 16 April, we are concerned that pensions practices in Gibraltar may be discriminatory. We have drawn this concern to the attention of the Government of Gibraltar on numerous occasions. Most recently, I wrote to the Chief Minister on 8 March of this year.

Mr. Spring

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to the oral statement of the Minister for Europe on 16 April 2002,Official Report, column 433, on pension scams and the Government of Gibraltar, if he will set out his policy in relation to this issue; and what discussions he had with the Government of Gibraltar prior to this statement. [54907]

Peter Hain

As I told the House on 16 April, we are concerned that pension practices in Gibraltar may be discriminatory. The Government continue to urge the Government of Gibraltar to address this matter.

For details of when the Government have raised this matter with the Government of Gibraltar I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Thurrock (Andrew Mackinlay) today (UIN 52965).

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