§ 26. Major HORE - BELISHAasked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Admiralty whether, seeing that the established men in His Majesty's dockyards retiring since the 20th March, 1922, receive pensions which are considerably less than those that they would have received had they retired prior to the 16th August, 1920, although their service is identical with those who had the advantage of better conditions of retirement., he will take steps to recommend that their pensions be increased, so that their families may not be at a disadvantage as compared with the families of their colleagues?
§ Mr. HODGESI recognise that anomalies of this nature arise in applying the Superannuation Acts to the abnormal conditions which arose during and since the War. The Civil Service generally is affected, and not only workmen retiring from His Majesty's dockyards, and, consequently, I am unable to recommend any alteration in reference to the special classes referred to in the question. I may say that the supplementary pensions based on industrial bonus awarded to the established men who retired on or after the 21st February, 1922, are subject to periodical revision following variation in the rate of the bonus. This revision followed upon the general decision announced on the 22nd February, 1922, by the then Financial Secretary to the Treasury and accepted by this House which was detailed in Treasury Minute of 20th March, 1922. The effect of this decision is that all workmen pensioned on and after 21st February, 1922, on the same basic emoluments and after the same service are at the present time in receipt- of the same rate of pension.