Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether she plans to negotiate a reciprocal agreement with the Australian government on uprating state pensions.

There are no plans to negotiate a new reciprocal social security agreement with Australia.

UK State Pensions are payable worldwide, without regard to nationality, and are only uprated abroad where there is a legal requirement to do so - for example in countries with which we have a reciprocal agreement that provides for up-rating.

The policy on up-rating UK State Pensions paid overseas is a longstanding one and has been supported by successive Governments for over 70 years.

Up-rating is based on levels of earnings growth and price inflation in the UK which has no direct relevance where the pensioner is resident overseas.

Over many years, priority is given to those living in the UK when drawing up expenditure plans for additional pensioner benefits.