HC Deb 10 June 1991 vol 192 cc433-4W
Mr. Kirkwood

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will carry out a review of the financial circumstances of United Kingdom citizens in receipt of pensions from public service for former colonial administrations with a view to providing financial enhancement in cases where depreciation of the currency in which the pension is paid has resulted in a significant fall of its value in pounds sterling.

Mrs. Chalker

No. Successive Governments have taken the view that they cannot protect the position of all those who were employed in the public services of our former colonies. Such protection is confined to those for whom the British Government acknowledge a special responsibility by virtue of their having been recruited by, or on behalf of, the Secretary of State for the Colonies for employment on expatriate terms in the central government of a colony.

Mr. Kirkwood

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has received from United Kingdom citizens in receipt of public service pensions from former colonial administrations regarding the current value of their pensions.

Mrs. Chalker

We regularly receive requests from pensioners who wish to be included in our overseas pension protection arrangements.

Mr. Kirkwood

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will estimate how much it would cost to take over the payment of overseas pensions paid to Rhodesian and Zimbabwean pensioners under the terms of the Overseas Pensions Act 1973; and if he will make a statement.

Mrs. Chalker

It is not possible to estimate the cost because we hold no information about Zimbabwe public service pensioners, who were all locally appointed.

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