While we have received repeated assurances from the Government of Zimbabwe that they will resume payment of pensions when the economic situation allows, we remain concerned. The Government of Zimbabwe is facing an array of challenges economically, which have been exacerbated by COVID-19. Regrettably, we therefore do not see these pensions being paid in the near future. We will, however, continue to raise the matter with the Government of Zimbabwe and the UK's Ambassador to Harare raised the issue with senior Ministry of Finance officials on 2 June.<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4210", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon"} } , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2021-06-14", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2021-06-14T11:45:01.457Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "208"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2021-05-27", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Zimbabwe: Pensions"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "2"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25277", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Lords"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask Her Majesty's Government what discussions they have had this year with the government of Zimbabwe about pension arrears owed to former Crown servants; and what was the outcome of those discussions.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/670", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Lord Goodlad"} } , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Lord Goodlad"} ], "uin" : "HL658"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1230971", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1230971/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
While we have received repeated assurances from the Zimbabwean Government that they will resume payment of pensions when the economic situation allows, we remain concerned. The Zimbabwean Government is facing an array of challenges economically. Regrettably, we therefore do not see these pensions being paid in the near future. We will, however, continue to raise the matter with the Government of Zimbabwe and the UK's Ambassador to Harare will press to discuss the issue with the Minister of Finance as soon as possible.<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4584", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Baroness Sugg"} } , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Baroness Sugg"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2020-09-15", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2020-09-15T11:46:07.507Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "208"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2020-09-02", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Zimbabwe: Pensions"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "2"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25277", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Lords"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask Her Majesty's Government what recent discussions they have had with the government of Zimbabwe about pension arrears owed to former Crown servants; and what was the outcome of those discussions.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/670", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Lord Goodlad"} } , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Lord Goodlad"} ], "uin" : "HL7639"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1144880", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Foreign and Commonwealth Office"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1144880/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
We regularly press the Government of Zimbabwe on the importance of fulfilling their responsibilities to all those who are entitled to a Zimbabwe Government pension. In 2016, we secured written confirmation from the Government of Zimbabwe of their responsibility for these payments. In April 2019, we raised the issue of pensions with Finance Minister Ncube and he confirmed Zimbabwe's commitment to resume payments when the economic situation allows.<\/ins><\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4210", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon"}
}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2019-09-09", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
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, "previousAnswerVersion" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1144880/answer/previousversion/133958", "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4210", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon"}
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, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon"}
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, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2019-09-09T16:24:36.29Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
], "questionFirstMinisteriallyCorrected" : [{"_value" : "2019-10-01T10:43:11.793Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "16"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Foreign and Commonwealth Office"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Foreign and Commonwealth Office"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2019-09-04", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Zimbabwe: Pensions"}
, "houseId" : {"_value" : "2"}
, "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25277", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Lords"}
}
], "questionText" : "To ask Her Majesty's Government what recent discussions they have had with the government of Zimbabwe about pension arrears owed to former Crown servants; and what was the outcome of those discussions.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/670", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Lord Goodlad"}
}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Lord Goodlad"}
], "uin" : "HL17714"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1108838", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Foreign and Commonwealth Office"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1108838/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " We regularly press the government of Zimbabwe on the importance of fulfilling their responsibilities to all those who are entitled to a Zimbabwe government pension. In 2016, we secured written agreement from the Government of Zimbabwe that payments would resume when the economic situation allows. This issue remains a key strand of the Government's dialogue with the government of Zimbabwe. We will raise it again in the near future.<\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4210", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon"}
}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2019-04-09", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2019-04-09T15:16:35.663Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "16"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Foreign and Commonwealth Office"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Foreign and Commonwealth Office"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2019-04-01", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Zimbabwe: Pensions"}
, "houseId" : {"_value" : "2"}
, "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25277", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Lords"}
}
], "questionText" : "To ask Her Majesty's Government what progress they have made in discussions with the government of Zimbabwe on the payment of pensions arrears owed to former Crown Overseas Servants.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/670", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Lord Goodlad"}
}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Lord Goodlad"}
], "uin" : "HL14945"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/969548", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Foreign and Commonwealth Office"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/969548/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " The UK does not have any legal responsibility for pension payments to former Southern Rhodesian civil servants. Responsibility sits with the Government of Zimbabwe, who confirmed this in writing in 2016. However, the UK regularly presses the Zimbabwean government to honour its obligation to pay the arrears. Eligible UK-appointed retired civil servants have been paid regularly from the Central African Pension Fund.<\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4210", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon"}
}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2018-09-19", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2018-09-19T14:24:28.75Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "16"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Foreign and Commonwealth Office"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Foreign and Commonwealth Office"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2018-09-07", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Zimbabwe: Pensions"}
, "houseId" : {"_value" : "2"}
, "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25277", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Lords"}
}
], "questionText" : "To ask Her Majesty's Government what progress has been made in assisting the government of Zimbabwe to pay any arrears owing to former members of Her Majesty's Overseas Civil Service.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/670", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Lord Goodlad"}
}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Lord Goodlad"}
], "uin" : "HL10184"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/833600", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Foreign and Commonwealth Office"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/833600/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " \u200bThe Zimbabwe Government recognised their legal obligation to pay for pensions of former Southern Rhodesia civil servants in a letter from the Minister of Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare on 28 October 2016. Representatives from the British High Commission in Harare regularly raise the requirement of the Government of Zimbabwe to pay these pensions with the Zimbabwean government and will continue to do so.<\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4210", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon"}
}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2018-02-13", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2018-02-13T15:32:47.68Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "16"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Foreign and Commonwealth Office"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Foreign and Commonwealth Office"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2018-01-30", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Zimbabwe: Pensions"}
, "houseId" : {"_value" : "2"}
, "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25277", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Lords"}
}
], "questionText" : "To ask Her Majesty's Government what is the most recent outcome of discussions with the government of Zimbabwe about pension payments owing to former Southern Rhodesia civil servants.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/670", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Lord Goodlad"}
}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Lord Goodlad"}
], "uin" : "HL5222"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/713108", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Foreign and Commonwealth Office"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/713108/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " The Government understands the hardship that lack of pension payments causes to former service-people and their families. The British Ambassador to Zimbabwe raises pensions frequently with the Zimbabwean Government and has secured written confirmation that it will resume payments when the economic situation improves. However, we have not made an estimate of the cost as these payments are the responsibility of the Government of Zimbabwe as set out in the Lancaster House Agreement in 1979.<\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/3474", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Baroness Anelay of St Johns"}
}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Baroness Anelay of St Johns"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2017-04-03", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2017-04-03T16:10:24.927Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "16"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Foreign and Commonwealth Office"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Foreign and Commonwealth Office"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2017-03-21", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Zimbabwe: Pensions"}
, "houseId" : {"_value" : "2"}
, "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25277", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Lords"}
}
], "questionText" : "To ask Her Majesty\u2019s Government what estimate they have made of the cost of making the necessary financial arrangements to enable the government of Zimbabwe to pay the pension arrears owing to those former members of HM Overseas Service who responded to the British Government's request that they remain in their posts after Southern Rhodesia became independent.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "true", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/670", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Lord Goodlad"}
}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Lord Goodlad"}
], "uin" : "HL6228"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/426842", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Foreign and Commonwealth Office"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/426842/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " As my Rt Hon Friend the Member for Welwyn Hatfield (Grant Shapps MP), Minister of State at the Department for International Development, set out last week, the Government sympathises with the plight of those former public servants who are entitled to a Zimbabwe government pension. We have not calculated the amounts involved because the UK has no legal obligation or responsibility for these. Responsibility rests with the Zimbabwean government. We continue to remind the relevant authorities in Zimbabwe of this legal commitment.<\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/1559", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Sir James Duddridge"}
}
, "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Rochford and Southend East"}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "James Duddridge"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2015-11-16", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2015-11-16T14:57:45.387Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
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, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Foreign and Commonwealth Office"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Foreign and Commonwealth Office"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2015-11-06", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Zimbabwe: Pensions"}
, "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"}
, "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"}
}
], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 2 November 2015 to Question 13950, what the estimated annual shortfall is in the payment of pensions to former employees of the Southern Rhodesian government.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/242", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Sir Christopher Chope"}
}
, "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Christchurch"}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Mr Christopher Chope"}
], "uin" : "15237"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/389207", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Foreign and Commonwealth Office"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/389207/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " The legal and moral responsibility to pay pensions to former Rhodesian and Zimbabwean public servants sits with the Government of Zimbabwe. The British Government continues to remind the relevant authorities in Zimbabwe of this legal commitment. Following our most recent approach the Government of Zimbabwe wrote to us on 27 May. They explained that pension repayments remain affected by current financial constraints in Zimbabwe and the state of the wider economy. Nonetheless, at our prompting they committed to continuing to seek a solution.<\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/3474", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Baroness Anelay of St Johns"}
}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Baroness Anelay of St Johns"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2015-07-24", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
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, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2015-07-24T11:28:25.947Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
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, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Foreign and Commonwealth Office"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Foreign and Commonwealth Office"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2015-07-13", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Zimbabwe: Pensions"}
, "houseId" : {"_value" : "2"}
, "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25277", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Lords"}
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], "questionText" : "To ask Her Majesty\u2019s Government whether they plan to use overseas superannuation funds to pay pensioners owed money by the government of Zimbabwe; and, if so, when they will do so.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/670", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Lord Goodlad"}
}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Lord Goodlad"}
], "uin" : "HL1393"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/388041", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Foreign and Commonwealth Office"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/388041/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " The British Government continues to remind the relevant authorities in Zimbabwe of their legal commitment to former employees of the Southern Rhodesia government. Following our most recent approach, the Government of Zimbabwe last wrote to us on 27 May. They explained that pension repayments remain affected by current financial constraints in Zimbabwe and the state of the wider economy. Nonetheless, at our prompting they committed to continuing to seek a solution.<\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/3359", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for The Earl of Courtown"}
}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Earl of Courtown"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2015-07-21", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
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, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2015-07-21T14:51:04.097Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
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, "date" : {"_value" : "2015-07-07", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Zimbabwe: Pensions"}
, "houseId" : {"_value" : "2"}
, "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25277", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Lords"}
}
], "questionText" : "To ask Her Majesty\u2019s Government what progress has been made in any discussions they are having with the government of Zimbabwe on the subject of pensions owed to former Rhodesian or Zimbabwean public servants.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/670", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Lord Goodlad"}
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, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Lord Goodlad"}
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It has not proved possible to respond to this question in the time available before Prorogation. Ministers will correspond directly with the Member.<\/del><\/p>