§ Mr. George Rodgersasked the Secretary of State for Social Services if she will publish in the Official Report a statement on the scale of payments to those entitled to State pensions who now live abroad.
§ Mr. MeacherRetirement and widow pensioners living abroad are paid at the rate which was in force when they left this country or when the first qualified for their pensions if they were then already living abroad. Subsequent increases in the rate are not paid unless the pensioner is in a country with which we have an appropriate reciprocal agreement. The national insurance provisions are designed42W primarily for people living in Great Britain and pension levels are related to social and economic conditions here. The cost of increasing pensions already in payment, which is met on a pay-as-you-go and not a funded basis, falls mainly on contributors and employers in this country.