§ Mr. SNOWDENasked the Secretary to the Treasury if he has received communications from a firm of solicitors about the case of Mr. Mant, late chief clerk, Customs and Excise, Birmingham, and why he refused to offer them any explanation of the reason why the Treasury have deprived Mr. Mant of pension on the eight months, one week, of service over 39 years; and will he now state why the Treasury thus deprived public servants of allowances they had justly earned?
§ The SECRETARY to the TREASURY (Mr. Hobhouse)I have received the communications referred to. There is no question of Mr. Mant's being deprived of any pension which he has justly earned, since Section 2 of the Superannuation Act, 1859, only provides for the award of pension in respect of completed years of service, and the Treasury is therefore precluded from taking into account fractions of years in the calculation of pension.
§ Mr. SNOWDENDoes not the same Act to which the right hon. Gentleman has just referred give the Treasury power to award a larger pension to a Civil servant than he might be entitled to by years of service, where he is called upon to retire for the purpose of facilitating the reorganisation of the Service?
§ Mr. HOBHOUSENo; I do not think that is so.
§ Mr. SNOWDENMay I be permitted to give the right hon. Gentleman the Section of the Act which bears out what I say?
§ Mr. HOBHOUSEOf course; but I am perfectly familiar with the Section.