Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of progress on implementing the request by the governments of British Overseas Territories during the December 2015 Overseas Territories Joint Ministerial Council on the uprating of pensions for UK state pension holders residing in those territories.

The policy on up-rating UK State Pensions overseas is longstanding and has been supported by successive Governments for over 70 years. Annual index-linked increases are paid to UK State Pension recipients where there is a legal requirement to do so, for example where recipients are living in countries where there is a reciprocal agreement that provides for up-rating.

This Government continues to take the view that priority should be given to those living in Great Britain when drawing up expenditure plans for additional pensioner benefits.