CLASS VI.—SUPERANNUATION AND RETIRED ALLOWANCES, AND GRATUITIES FOR CHARITABLE AND OTHER PURPOSES.

HC Deb 19 March 1878 vol 238 cc1611-2

(5.)£6,000, Superannuations and Retired Allowances.

(6.)£3,000, Relief of Distressed British Seamen Abroad.

(7.)£18,000, Commutation of Annuities.

MR. MONK

asked if this amount would complete the commutation of the Schomberg Annuity, or whether a further sum would be charged on the Consolidated Fund for that purpose? The amount of £18,000, charged as a Supplementary Estimate on an original Estimate of £8,000, seemed a very large one for the commutation of small annuities.

COLONEL STANLEY

said, he did not think the commutation of the Schomberg Annuity would be quite completed by the amount granted under this head. As to the remainder, the sum was taken for the commutation of upwards of 70 small allowances hitherto paid from the Consolidated Fund; and the principle which had been observed in respect to those commutations was the generally accepted one—that, whenever the Treasury could purchase small annuities charged on the Fund, on satisfactory terms, they did so, though it would be obviously undesirable to take extraordinary steps to purchase them.

Vote agreed to.