§ Lord Stallardasked Her Majesty's Government:
What would be the cost to the Exchequer of indexing retirement pensions paid to United Kingdom retired citizens now domiciled in Canada.
§ Lord GlenarthurAt 31st December 1982 (the latest date for which figures are available) there were approximately 41,000 people in Canada in receipt of United Kingdom retirement or widow's pension. The cost of increasing these pensions to the rates current at November 1983 would be £32 million a year. The cost of paying only those increases awarded following the entry into force of a bilateral social security convention providing for indexation has been estimated at £2½ million in the first full year, although the annual cost would rise progressively to £32 million. No costing has been carried out for the indexation of retirement pensions alone.