Overseas Pensioners (Hansard, 7 March 2003)

§ Mr. McCartney

This is a matter for Alexis Cleveland, Chief Executive of The Pension Service to reply. She will write to the hon. Member.

Letter from Alexis Cleveland to Mr. Steve Webb, dated 26 February 2003: The Secretary of State for Work and Pensions has asked me to respond to your recent Parliamentary Question asking if all non ACT pension payments to UK citizens living abroad are being made on time; and if he will make a statement. During 2002, the Department for Work and Pensions International Mail contract was responsible for over 115 million items of mail to overseas destinations. Of these, 1,565,172 items related to retirement pensions. Whilst every effort is made to ensure items destined for overseas customers arrive at their destination within the designated timescales, (5 calendar days for Europe and 10 calendar days for rest of the world destinations) unfortunately, sometimes delays are experienced. The most common causes of delay to overseas customers payments are: problems within foreign postal authorities. For example, strikes and adverse weather conditions, which affect the transportation of mail. Also national holidays in the receiving country can add delay. In addition to this, many foreign destinations have introduced an increased security policy at ports and airports, which is resulting in delays before the mail enters the recipient country. The Department for Work and Pensions has little influence in preventing delays in the receipt of payments once the items are handed over to the foreign postal authority. However, all delays reported by customers are taken very seriously and every effort is made to ascertain the reason for the delay, and an estimation of the severity of the problem, although we are reliant on foreign postal authorities communicating delays or problems within their delivery network. I hope that this is helpful.