§ Mr. Dubsasked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many retirement pensioners resident abroad are currently receiving their retirement pensions through emergency procedures and how many by normal procedures; how many and what proportion of all pensioners resident abroad have not had a payment of retirement pension in the latest week for which information is available; and what measures he is taking to contact such people and advise them how they might receive their pension.
§ Dr. BoysonSome 115,000 pensioners abroad are now receiving payments under emergency payment arrangements at either four-weekly or quarterly intervals. A further 30,000 pensioners are being paid under their normal arrangements. About 200,000 pensioners abroad—60 per cent. of the total— have not yet requested emergency payments. British embassies and other posts abroad have been informed of the disruption in the issue of routine payments from Newcastle and are advising people who inquire about non-payment to contact DHSS overseas branch so that emergency payments can be instituted. Similar advice has been included in advertisements in the British national press. Advertisements are also being placed in newspapers in countries overseas where there are substantial numbers of British pensioners.