§ Sir John Biggs-Davisonasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what reciprocal arrangements have been made with Canada for the payment, and appropriate increase, of pensions and other social benefits; and whether he will make a statement.
§ Mr. RossiThe limited agreement with Canada, which has been in force since 1959, contains provisions to help people coming from Canada to the United Kingdom to qualify for United Kingdom retirement pension, unemployment benefit and child benefit. There are no special provisions for people going from the United Kingdom to Canada. United Kingdom pensions are therefore payable in Canada subject to the normal conditions applying outside the United Kingdom, that is, 435W they are payable at the rate in force when the pensioner left the United Kingdom or qualified for the pension in Canada, if later.
The Government are aware of the concern of some United Kingdom pensioners in Canada about the present position. However, in view of the current constraint on public expenditure we have not been able to make funds available to increase the rates of pension payable. To increase United Kingdom pensions in Canada to the rates which would be payable in this country would cost well over £28 million a year at current rates.
§ Mr. Hendersonasked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will now take steps to pay to United Kingdom retirement pensioners living in Canada the full pension to which they would be entitled if they continued to live in the United Kingdom.
§ Mr. RossiNo. To increase the pensions of United Kingdom retirement and widow pensioners in Canada to the rates which would be payable in the United Kingdom would cost well over £28 million a year at current rates. In the present economic situation funds are not available for additional expenditure on this scale.