§ Mr. ChurchillTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is his estimate of the cost that would be involved in extending inflation-proofed pensions to those over 80 years of age who do not qualify for annual uprating, assuming the same age profile for such British state retirement pensioners as for those who do.
§ Miss WiddecombeThe information is not readily available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
§ Mr. ChurchillTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what estimates he has made of the numbers of British state retirement pensioners with ancestral links with new Commonwealth countries who would wish to spend their retirement in a new Commonwealth country if their entitlement to an inflation-proofed state retirement pensions were to be maintained.
§ Miss WiddecombeThe nationality or origin of a contributor to the British national insurance scheme is not recorded and we do not. therefore, have the information needed to make such an estimate.
§ Mr. ChurchillTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will list those countries where British pensioners receive inflation-proofed state retirement pensions together with the dates when, in each case reciprocal agreements were entered into.
§ Miss WiddecombeThe information is in the table.
Table of overseas countries where annual pension increases are paid and the dates on which reciprocal social security agreements came into force Country Date Austria 1 October 1972 Barbados 1 April 1992 Belgium 1 June 1958 Bermuda 1 November 1969 Cyprus 18 May 1957 Denmark1 8 February 1960 Finland 1 February 1984 France 5 July 1948 Germany 1 August 1961 Gibraltar 26 March 1974 Guernsey 4 April 1966 Iceland 1 August1985 Irish Republic 4 April 1966 Israel 1 November1957 Italy 1 May 1953 Jamaica 1 October 1972 Jersey 4 April 1966 Luxembourg 1 April 1955 Malta 29 October 1956 Mauritius 1 November 1981 Netherlands 1 June 1955 Norway 1 April 1991 Philippines 1 December 1989 Portugal 1 October 1979 Spain 1 April 1975 Sweden 1 May 1988 Switzerland 1 June 1954 Turkey 1 June 1961 United States of America 25 September 1969 Yugoslavia (including the newly independent former republics) 1 September 1958 Annual pension increases arc also payable in Greece under the European Community's Social Security regulations.
1'The reciprocal agreement between the United Kingdom and Denmark does not provide for annual pension increases to be paid to pensioners in Denmark but such increases are payable under the European Community's Social Security regulations.