§ 44. Mr. HUTCHISONasked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury whether, in view of the fact that Civil Servants have to retire at 65, he will consider the desirability of creating a similar rule 1972 for all employés controlled by him at the national picture galleries and other such institutions?
§ Mr. HORE-BELISHAArticle 15 of the Order in Council of the 10th January, 1910, which governs the age of retire-meat of established Civil Servants, applies to the institutions in question. There is not, as the question appears to imply, a similar universal rule for unestablished employés.
§ 45. Mr. E. WILLIAMSasked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury whether he is aware that one of the sergeants of the National Gallery at Millbank has retired and that his position has been taken over by a police pensioner; whether he can state the age of this police pensioner who has thus been promoted; whether he is in receipt of a pension from any other body; and whether the Treasury, particularly in view of the amount of unemployment, will consider the desirability of ceasing to employ either elderly men or men already in the enjoyment of substantial pensions?
§ Mr. HORE-BELISHAI understand that at the Tate Gallery the police pensioner who draws an allowance as sergeant has on retirement been succeeded by the senior police pensioner, whose age is 72. Apart from his police pension, he is not in receipt of pension from any other body. The employment at this Gallery of a small number of men with police experience is considered advisable, but the number, which was halved some years ago, is kept as low as possible.
§ 46. Mr. HICKSasked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury whether it is the general practice of the Treasury that on the retirement of a police pensioner at the public picture galleries and similar places, under the control of his Department, his place is to be filled by an ex-service man; how many vacancies have occurred within the last six years; and how many of such vacancies have been filled by men who are police pensioners and not ex-service men?
§ Mr. HORE-BELISHAThe employment of a certain number of men with police experience is considered advisable at some of the museums and galleries. Vacancies for police pensioners are filled by the Trustees through the Police Pen- 1973 sioners' Employment Association, who have been requested in suitable instances to give preference to those who are ex-service men. During the last six years thirty-six appointments of police pensioners have been made at the national museums and galleries in London. Of the men appointed, eight were ex-service.
§ Mr. HOLDSWORTHIs the hon. Gentleman aware that there is great dissatisfaction in the country over the further employment of people in receipt of pension?