§ Mr. ChurchillTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security on what grounds British subjects who retire to one of the old dominions do not receive the annual uprating of their state pension.
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§ Miss WiddecombeRegulations prevent the payment of annual pension increases to United Kingdom pensioners living abroad. There are exceptions to this rule under social security agreements with some countries. Our agreements with Australia, Canada and New Zealand do not alter this. We have no social security agreement with South Africa. In view of the substantial additional cost—about £275 million at April 1992 rates—involved in paying pension increases to all United Kingdom pensioners abroad, there is no prospect of allowing further unfreezing in the present financial climate.