§ Mr. ChurchillTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many British pensioners qualified for a state retirement pension in those countries where the pension is frozen at(a) the most recent date for which figures are available and (b) a year previously; and what factors underlie the increase over that period of his estimate of the payment of fully indexed pensions. [4382]
§ Mr. HealdIn July 1996, the most recent date for which figures are available, United Kingdom state retirement and widow's pensions were paid to 429,647 beneficiaries in countries where the pensions are frozen. Corresponding figures for July 1995 are not available. In January 1995, such pensions were paid to 400,742 beneficiaries. The increase over the period January 1995 to July 1996 in the cost of extending annual cost of living increases to beneficiaries whose pensions are frozen is attributable to(a) the rise in the number of pensioners in receipt of frozen pensions and (b) the increase in benefit rates by 2.2 per cent. in April 1995 and 3.9 per cent. in April 1996.