9. Captain CROOKSHANKasked the Home Secretary how many ex-policemen are now in receipt of pensions provided on his Estimates compared with 1914; chat is the total amount of pensions to be found this year as compared with 1914; whether he has received representations from the Lindsey County Council to the effect that they consider the age at which members of the police force retire on a pension is too low, and that considerable saving could be effected if die pensionable age for new entrants to the force were raised and whether He proposes to take any action in the matter?
§ Sir W. JOYNSON-HICKSAs the answer to this question is rather long, with full details, I will, with the permission of my hon. and gallant Friend and of the House, circulate it in the OFFICIAL REPORT.
§ Mr. HAYESMay we take it that the right hon. Gentleman's answer is in the direction of resisting the tendency to economise in this way?
§ Sir W. JOYNSON-HICKSI would prefer that the hon. Member should read the answer.
§ Following is the answer:
§ The total cost of police pensions for forces in England and Wales was approximately £3,970,000 in 1925–26, as compared with £1,352,600 in 1913–14. The total number of pensioners on 31st March, 1925, was 30,680, including 1,772 widows in receipt of pensions; corresponding figures for 1914 are not available. I have received representations from the Lindsey County Council as to the present age for retirement, but I have not seen my way to propose further legislation on the subject. I may point out that, whereas constables retiring now are entitled, as a rule, to retire on maximum pension after 26 years' approved service, as provided in the pension scales fixed by the police authorities under the Police Act, 1890, the period has already been raised for new entrants to 30 years, under the Police Pensions Act, 1921.