FROZEN PENSIONS

Early day motion 856, tabled 6 February 2007 by Michael Connarty (Labour). Signed by 181 members.

That this House notes with concern that 520,000 British pensioners living abroad have their pensions frozen in value and thus not increased when the pensions in the United Kingdom receive annual increases; believes the practice of freezing these pensions is wholly unfair, discriminatory and irrational especially when some pensioners living overseas do have their pensions increased annually; believes that all pensioners living abroad, many of whom have made lifelong mandatory payments to their state pensions, are deserving of this annual increase; and urges the Government to bring forward proposals to end the evident unfairness in the current arrangements.

Signatures by party: Labour 80, Liberal Democrat 50, Conservative 32, DUP 5, Scottish National Party 4, Plaid Cymru 3, Social Democratic and Labour Party 3, Independent 2, Independent Labour 1, UUP 1.