HC Deb 29 May 1946 vol 423 cc1146-7
40. Mr. Boyd-Carpenter

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what revision of present pensions of Colonial civil servants is under consideration; and whether he is satisfied that the temporary increases recently authorised, subject to a means test, are adequate to prevent hardship.

Mr. George Hall

Pensions of Colonial civil servants are paid from the funds of Colonial Governments, and the question of temporary increases is primarily one for the legislatures concerned. A number of Colonial Governments have awarded temporary increases at the same rates, and subject to the same conditions, as those prescribed in Section I of the Pensions (Increase) Act, 1944, and their awards are accordingly subject to the same limits as regards pensioners' income as those prescribed in that Section of the Act. As the hon. Member is aware the Pensions Increase Act is now under review and if changes are made in this country as a result of that review, I shall invite the attention of all Colonial Governments to them.

Mr. Boyd-Carpenter

Will the right hon. Gentleman use his influence with those Colonial Governments that have not conformed to this practice of bringing their procedure into line with those that have?

Mr. Hall

Yes, Sir. They are very few and I am doing what I can to get them to conform.

Captain Marsden

Should the applications for increases in pensions be made to the right hon. Gentleman's office or to himself, or through him to the Colonial Offices themselves?

Mr. Hall

The applications can be made to myself, but, as I said in reply to the Question, we follow the practice of increases in the United Kingdom.