Mr Major’s Written Parliamentary Answer on Retirement Pensions – 20 December 1985

Below is the text of Mr Major’s written Parliamentary Answer on Retirement Pensions on 20th December 1985.

Mr. Andrew Bowden Asked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) what would be the cost of providing a retirement pension equal to that currently payable to British citizens in the United Kingdom (a) to all British retirement pensioners resident in the Republic of South Africa, and (b) to those aged 75 years and over;

(2) what would be the cost of providing a widow’s pension equal to that currently payable to British citizens in the United Kingdom (a) to all British widows resident in the Republic of South Africa, and (b) to those aged 75 years and over.

Mr. Major The cost of paying full retirement and widows’ pensions to pensioners resident in the Republic of South Africa is estimated as £9.5 million a year at current rates of benefit. Separate estimates for the cost of each benefit, for the costs in relation to British citizens only, or for pensions payable to those aged 75 and over are not available.