§ Dr. Lynne JonesTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what representations have been received from(a) the Canadian Government and (b) other Governments since 1 May, in favour of restoring parity between the state pension available to British citizens resident overseas and that available to United Kingdom residents. [95076]
§ Mr. RookerThe issue of frozen rate pensions was raised by Donald Campbell, of Canada's Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade, during a meeting with my noble Friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs on 6 October 1999 in Canada.
The Australian Government made representations in July 1999 for a limited unfreezing of pensions for some UK pensioners living in Australia. We rejected this proposal. The Australian Government indicated that it would be abrogating the Social Security agreement with the UK. Formal notification of this has not been received.
We have had no other formal approaches from Governments about unfreezing pensions during the period.