§ Mr. John MarshallTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what information he has as to the percentage of gross domestic product spent on pensions in each EC country.
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§ Mr. HagueThe latest information available on pensions expenditure in each member state of the EC is contained in the Eurostat publication "Digest of Statistics on Social Protection in Europe, Volumn 1: Old Age". This publication covers the years 1980–1988 and covers questions of definition and incomplete information which are important in interpreting the data.
The Eurostat study "Social Protection Expenditure and Receipts 1980–1991" includes revised and more recent information on that part of social protection expenditure which is directed to the elderly, but it does not allow the identification of expenditure on pensions.
Copies of both publications are in the House of Commons Library.