§ Captain Orrasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he will publish a list of all payments from United Kingdom Departments to individuals and organisations, including Governments, in the Republic of Ireland in 1971–72, together with a note of the cost of all services provided to or for individuals or organisations, including Government, in the Republic in the same period.
§ Mr. AmeryThere are certain intergovernmental financial arrangements in conjunction with the Anglo Irish Free Trade Area designed to facilitate trade, and these are to the benefit of both countries. Obligations towards individuals in the Republic by United Kingdom Government Departments include payments under the reciprocal agreements with the Government of the Republic for social security benefits; payment of United Kingdom retirement, widows, and war service pensions to persons resident in the Republic; and support for welfare and treatment services for war pensioners. There are also certain pension obligations towards former civil servants transferred to the Irish Free State who subsequently retired prematurely. There would in addition he the normal payments to servants of the Crown serving within the Republic, including the up-keep and 109W servicing of British premises. It would require a disproportionate amount of research to list the full details and costs.