§ Mr. ChurchillTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is the current estimated cost to public funds of fully uprating Britain's expatriate pensioners whose pensions are frozen in consequence of their chosen country of abode. [2623]
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§ Mr. HealdThe estimated cost of paying fully indexed benefits to all state retirement and widow's pensioners living abroad whose benefits are frozen is £255 million a year.
The figure is based on the number of pensioners living abroad in July 1996 and on the current rate of state pension.
§ Mr. ChurchillTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what estimate he has made of the savings to public funds in respect of social security, residential care and health care costs in respect of Britain's expatriate pensioners. [2624]
§ Mr. HealdThe information is not available.
We cannot say what calls British pensioners would make on these services if they lived in this country, or what the additional cost to the social security or health and social services budgets would be.