§ 27. Miss Fookesasked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will take steps to ensure that retirement pensioners living abroad receive increases in pensions where reciprocal agreements are not in force.
§ Mr. DeanNo. National insurance is a contributory scheme of social security designed primarily for people living in this country, and benefit levels are related to conditions here. We think the best way to proceed is by means of reciprocal agreements with other countries and our aim is to extend these as widely as possible.