Sir Gordon Slynn

1. Is there a minimum benefit within the meaning of Article 50 ... where the legislation of a Member State makes entitlement to retirement benefit at a flate rate conditional on the yearly average of weekly flat-rate contributions paid or credited to a claimant during the period between his entry into insurance and his obtaining pensionable age being not less than 50 and, if that condition is not satisfied, but the yearly average is not less than 13, provides for a reduced amount of retirement benefit determined solely by reference to the claimant's contribution average for that period?
2. If the answer to Question 1 is in the affirmative, is the ‘minimum benefit’
(a) the smallest amount of benefit that may be paid to an insured person under the legislation of that State, i.e. for a contribution average of 13;
(b) the amount that would be payable to the claimant under the legislation of that State, taking account of all the insurance periods completed under the legislations of all Member States to which he had been subject; or,
(c) some other (and if so what) amount?