§ 46. Mr. CONANTasked the Prime Minister whether he will consider the advisability of co-ordinating service pensions so that men who have served at different times and in different branches of His Majesty's Forces may be eligible for a pension as soon as their total length of service conforms to the statutory regulations?
§ The PRIME MINISTERThe regulations governing the reckoning for pension in one Defence Service of time previously served in another are drawn up in accordance with the requirements of each Service and I am not aware of any reason for modifying them.
§ Mr. CONANTDoes not the right hon. Gentleman consider it unfair that a man who has served in one branch of the Service and then has been transferred to another branch should not be allowed to count the whole of his service for pension? Does he not think that previous service in any branch of the defence force should count for pension?
§ The PRIME MINISTERI understand that, as a matter of fact, it does; but not fully; and there are good reasons why it should not. If the hon. Member will be so good as to bring me cases in which the Department are concerned, I am sure that they will give him full information on the subject.