HC Deb 01 February 1999 vol 324 c416W
Mr. Swayne

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will introduce annual adjustments to pensions for pensioners who now reside overseas; and if he will make a statement. [68520]

Mr. Timms

Of the 840,000 UK State pensions paid to people living abroad, about 380,000 already receive annual upratings. The total annual cost of unfreezing the remaining pensions paid abroad is £275 million. Due to competing demands and constraints on Social Security spending, in the UK there are no plans to do so.