§ Mr. WareingTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) how Her Majesty's Government administers the payment of social benefit entitlements to recipients living in Yugoslavia, pursuant to United Nations Security Council resolution 724; and if he will make a statement;
(2) how his Department administers the obligations of United Nations Security Council resolution 757 on payment of social benefits to civilians living in Yugoslavia; and if he will make a statement;
(3) whether foreign pensions, child and other social benefit entitlement held by persons resident in the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia have been frozen; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. HagueThe United Nation Security Council Committee, established pursuant to resolution 724, ruled that it was up to individual Governments to decide whether to pay social benefits to people in the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (Serbia and Montenegro). In cases where Governments decide to make such payments, it was up to the Government concerned to devise a mechanism for doing so without contravening the mandatory sanctions established by the Security Council under resolution 757. In accordance with this ruling, Her Majesty's Government informed the committee that on humanitarian grounds the United Kingdom would continue to pay social security benefits to beneficiaries in the federal republic. United Kingdom benefit entitlement is not, therefore, frozen. We are continuing to send payable orders to the federal republic by post.