§ 77. Sir W. JOYNSON-HICKSasked the Home Secretary what is the police pension in the case of a constable who entered the service in 1892, and served 26 years, retiring in 1918; and what is the 227 pension of a constable who entered two years later, served a similar period, paid similar amounts to the superannuation funds, and retired in 1920?
§ Mr. SHORTTThe amount of pension to which a constable is entitled on retirement depends upon his rate of pay at that date, as well as the length of service. In the case of the Metropolitan Police, a constable who retired in 1918 with the service mentioned received a pension of £69 11s. 6d. per annum if the retirement took effect on or before 2nd September, or of £92 3s. 8d. per annum if it was after that date, whereas a constable who retires in 1920 with the same service is entitled to a pension of £165 4s. 8d. per annum. The latter officer would have contributed rather more to the Superannuation Fund than the former, but in either case the amount contributed by the constable is only a very small fraction of the value of the pension.
§ Sir W. JOYNSON-HICKSDoes my right hon. Friend think it fair that a constable who retires now should get £160 a year as pension, and that one who retired only two years ago, having completed exactly the same service, should get only £60?
§ Mr. SHORTTI should be very sorry to reduce the present rate.
§ Sir W. JOYNSON-HICKSWould the right hon. Gentleman not consider the case of those pensioners who, having served well, retired on account of age or because they were invalided, in 1918?
§ Mr. SHORTTPersonally, I have no power to do anything in the matter.
§ 78. Mr. ROBERT YOUNGasked the Home Secretary what is the minimum number of years' service of a policeman to entitle him to a pension if unable to fulfil his duties through disablement or ill-health; whether a policeman who has put in a qualifying period for a pension under such circumstances is paid such pension should his disablement or ill-health be the result of war service; and, if not, will he state whether deferred pay is always refunded?
§ Mr. SHORTTUnder the Police Acts, 15 years' service is the minimum period for pension for a police constable retiring on account of ill-health, but in case 228 of disablement due to an injury received in the execution of duty, he is entitled to a pension whatever his length of service. In the case of a constable incapacitated while in naval or military service during the War, the police authority have power under the Police Constables (Naval and Military Service) Acts to make him an allowance from police funds, in addition to the pension he receives from naval or military funds. Police authorities have, so far as I know, exercised this power to the fullest extent the law permits. If a constable retires without pension the deductions made from the constable's pay are refunded, except in cases of grave misconduct.