HC Deb 25 February 1936 vol 309 cc247-8
57. Major-General Sir ALFRED KNOX

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury whether the power granted to the Treasury under Section 3 of the Superannuation Act, 1887, in the matter of reckoning previous unestablished service for the purpose of the Superannuation Acts, 1834 and 1859, is in suitable cases applied for the purpose of allowing ex-Service civil servants to count their previous unestablished service up to the maximum possible extent towards their pension rights on retirement?

Mr. W. S. MORRISON

Section 3 of the Superannuation Act, 1887, empowers the Treasury to reckon unestablished service for pension "if in their opinion any special circumstances of the case warrant such a course." if, as I assume, my hon. and gallant Friend has in mind the case of ex-Service men originally appointed as such to clerical posts in a purely temporary capacity and subsequently promoted the establishment under special arrangements, the answer is that as regards those initially established the Treasury did not consider that there were such special circumstances as to warrant the reckoning of their previous unestablished service, but that in the case of those who have been recently established a part of such service has been allowed to reckon.

Sir A. KNOX

Does not the hon. and learned Gentleman realise that in the past many civil servants have been allowed at least half their unestablished service to count for pension, and also that in the War civil servants who were excepted for military service on account of conscientious objection were allowed to count their period of absence from the service for pensions? On what principle does the hon. Gentleman discriminate between them and ex-service men who in many cases gave up posts of great importance in order to serve their country?

Mr. MORRISON

I am aware that this is a problem with many factors in it, and as it is too long a question to discuss at this time, I am sending my hon. and gallant Friend a memorandum showing the steps taken by successive Governments in this matter. If, after considering that, my hon. and gallant Friend wishes any further information. I hope he will be good enough to communicate with me.

Sir A. KNOX

Does the hon. Gentleman realise that I have already received this memorandum and that it does not deal with the points I have in mind?

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