HC Deb 12 May 1988 vol 133 cc238-9W
Sir John Farr

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) what new social security agreements have been negotiated and are awaiting implementation with new countries about the introduction of a reciprocal social security agreement;

(2) which countries he is at present in negotiation with about the introduction of a reciprocal social security agreement;

(3) if he will list those countries with whom the United Kingdom has entered into a social security agreement enabling British pensioners living there to receive United Kingdom pension increases in full;

(4) if he will list those countries with whom the United Kingdom has not yet entered into a social security agreement enabling British pensioners living there to receive United Kingdom pension increases in full;

(5) what are the arrangements made for the regular uprating of pensions of British people living in the United States of America;

(6) what are the arrangements made for the regular uprating of pensions of British people living in Malta;

(7) what are the arrangements made for the regular uprating of pensions of British people living in Bermuda;

(8) what are the arrangements made for the regular uprating of pensions of British people living in the Bahamas.

Mr. Scott

The United Kingdom has entered into social security reciprocal agreements which include provision for British pensioners to receive pension increases at upratings with the following countries. Except where the footnote shows otherwise the effect is that pensions are paid at the rate that would have applied had the pensioners remained in the United Kingdom.

  • Austria
  • Belgium
  • Bermuda (1 November 1969)3
  • Cyprus
  • Denmark1
  • Finland
  • France
  • Federal Republic of Germany
  • Gibraltar
  • Greece1
  • Iceland
  • Republic of Ireland
  • Isle of Man
  • Israel
  • Italy
  • Jamaica (1 October 1972)3
  • Jersey and Guernsey
  • Luxembourg
  • Malta
  • Mauritius (1 November 1981)3
  • Netherlands
  • Portugal
  • Sark2
  • Spain
  • Sweden
  • Switzerland
  • Turkey
  • United States of America (25 September 1969)3
  • Yugoslavia

1 United Kingdom pensions in Denmark and Greece are paid at unfrozen rates by virtue of EC regulations (1408/71 and 574/72) and not by virtue of reciprocal agreements with the United Kingdom.

2 United Kingdom pensions in Sark are paid at unfrozen rates by virtue of a separate provision of the Social Security Benefit (Persons Abroad) Regulations 1975.

3 Increases have been paid only from the dates shown so that increases effective before those dates are not payable.

There are United Kingdom pensioners in some 140 other countries, including the Bahamas, with whom there is no reciprocal agreement enabling pension increases to be paid. There are no new social security agreements already negotiated and awaiting implementation. Negotiations concerning new agreements are in progress with Barbados and the Philippines, and concerning revision of an existing agreement (which does not provide for pension increases to be paid) with Norway.