§ 79 Mr. RUPERT GWYNNEasked the Chief Secretary for Ireland (1) if the provision in the Government of Ireland Bill enabling Civil servants to retire voluntarily, i.e., under the statutory conditions of retirement, has been inserted in the Bill to meet the cases of officials' who, although not removed from office or who may retire by permission, may find their positions during the transitional period distasteful; (2) whether he will state if it is now the policy of the Government to give Irish Civil servants the same terms on retirement as those proposed in the Bill of 1893; and (3) if he will state on what grounds Civil servants who may retire under the statutory conditions of retirement are offered in the present Government of Ireland Bill, considerably smaller pensions than were offered to the same class of officials in the Bill of 1893 and in the Irish Councils Bill, 1907?
§ Mr. BIRRELLThe provisions of the Civil Service scheme in the Government of Ireland Bill were discussed at length in 931 Committee, and if the hon. Member will refer to the Debates of the 9th December, 1912, he will find that I explained fully the principles on which the scheme was based, both as respects voluntary and compulsory retirement and the reasons for not adopting the scheme of the Bill of 1893. It is not proposed to make the change which the hon. Member suggests in the second question.
§ Mr. GWYNNEIs the right hon. Gentleman aware that in another place Lord Crewe said he would call the right hon. Gentleman's attention to this unfairness?
§ Mr. BIRRELLYes, Sir, I believe that is so.