HC Deb 20 April 1943 vol 388 cc1541-2
62. Major Petherick

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury whether his attention has been drawn to a recent decision in the King's Bench Division which had the effect of legalising the payment of a superannuation pension of £2,045 a year by the Wimbledon Corporation to their retiring chief electrical engineer; and, seeing that the pension after 40 years service of a retiring Permanent Secretary to the Treasury or to other Government Departments would be £1,750 a year, will he take action to put an end to such anomalies?

The Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Health (Miss Horsbrugh)

I have been asked to reply. I have seen references in the Press to this decision, but a full report of the proceedings is not at present available to my right hon. Friend. On the information before the Department I can add nothing to the reply which my right hon. Friend gave to my hon. Friend the Member for South East Southwark (Mr. Naylor) on 19th November last.

Major Petherick

Will the hon. Lady ask her right hon. Friend if he will examine the position of other members of the Government concerned, in view of the fact that it is an anomaly that a distinguished servant of a Corporation should, on retiring, receive more than the Permanent Secretary of a Government Department?

Miss Horsbrugh

Without going into details of the case and of the amount received, I should like to remind my hon. and gallant Friend that my right hon. Friend has no power whatever, as the Statute specifically confers an unfettered discretion upon the local authorities.

Mr. Gallacher

Was there a means test?