§ 46. Mr. HORNERasked whether, in the Government of Ireland Bill of 1893 and in the Irish Councils Bill of 1907, Civil servants in Ireland who might have elected to retire on pension rather than take service under the proposed Irish Government would have had their pensions calculated on the basis of their actual years of service extending up to the end of the transitional period, with a certain number of abolition years added thereto; and whether, under the Third Schedule of the present Government of Ireland Bill, such Civil servants will not have any abolition years added for pension purposes?
§ Mr. BIRRELLThe hon. Member's comparison of the provisions of the three Bills as to Civil servants is not quite accurate, but it is true that the provisions in the present Bill differ from those in the earlier Bills referred to. The provisions of the present Bill are more favourable to the Civil servants generally, and in framing them the Government have had regard to representations made on behalf of a large body of the officers concerned.