§ 35. Mr. DOUGLAS HALLasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether the Secretary of State for War and the Postmaster-General have recommended that the time spent by members of the Royal Engineers in the service of the Post Office 359 shall count for civil pension; whether the fact that this period does not count for civil pension prevents a number of expert postal telegraphists joining the Royal Engineers; whether, at the present moment, there is a shortage of telegraphists in the Royal Engineers; and if he can now see his way, in view of the fact that service with the Post Office does not count for military pension, to allow it to count for civil pension?
§ Mr. LLOYD GEORGEThe answer to the first three parts of the question is in the affirmative. I am unable to propose an alteration in the existing law under which service with the Colours cannot count for Civil superannuation, but arrangements are under consideration which, it is hoped, will remove the difficulty in this case in future.