Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment his has made of the potential merits of Canada’s request to form a new reciprocal uprating agreement with the UK.

Answered by Guy Opperman - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

I refer the honourable member to the answer given to PQ 45728 on 17 September 2022.

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Stedman-Scott on 29 June (HL1002), whether they have had any engagement with the government of Canada on a reciprocal social security agreement; and if so, what discussions they have had with that government on the subject.

Answered by Baroness Stedman-Scott

The UK Government responded to a request for a reciprocal social security agreement from the Canadian Government in March 2021.

The Government has also recently received a letter from the Government of Canada on negotiating a reciprocal social security agreement. The Department for Work and Pensions plans to respond to this request in due course.

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask Her Majesty's Government what discussions, if any, they have had with the government of Canada about a reciprocal social security agreement between the UK and Canada; and what response, if any, they received.

Answered by Baroness Stedman-Scott

There are two separate social security arrangements in place between the UK and Canada, made in 1995 and 1998. The UK Government is not intending to change the social security relationship with Canada.

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of willingness of the government of Canada to enter discussions for a reciprocal social security agreement.

Answered by Baroness Stedman-Scott

There are two separate social security arrangements in place between the UK and Canada, made in 1995 and 1998. The UK Government is not intending to change the social security relationship with Canada.

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, when she last received correspondence from the Canadian Government on a reciprocal social security agreement; and if she will place a copy of that correspondence in the Library.

Answered by Guy Opperman - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

The Government last received correspondence from the Canadian Government in November 2020.

The Department does not routinely place its correspondence with foreign Government officials in the Library. However, the Department responded to Canadian officials explaining the Government’s longstanding policy position.

Departmental Ministers have not met Canadian Ministers to discuss the issue of frozen pensions and there are no plans for such a meeting.