§ MR. JOHN HUTTONI beg to ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he has received a memorial signed by a large number of prison officials with regard to the terms of their retiring pensions; and whether, 592 in consideration of the nature of the work of prison officials, he is prepared to recommend that they should be entitled to obtain the maximum pension at an earlier date than under the Civil Service scale.
§ *THE SECRETARY STATE FOR THE HOME DEPARTMENT (Sir M. WHITE RIDLEY,) Lancashire, BlackpoolThe answer to the first paragraph is in the affirmative. The question of pensions is primarily one for the Treasury, and to deal with it as suggested would require legislation, which I am afraid I must say I am not at present prepared to propose.