§ Mr. Stan Crowtherasked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether he can report any progress in the negotiation of a reciprocal agreement with the Canadian Government to allow increased payments to British pensioners resident in Canada.
§ Mr. Orme:As I explained to the hon. Member for Eastleigh (Mr. Price) on 13th June, any agreement which might be concluded with the Canadian Government would involve the United Kingdom in additional expenditure, the amount being dependent on the scope of the agreement. No financial provision is at present possible for such an agreement in view of the current constraints on public expenditure.—[Vol. 951, c. 450–2.]