HC Deb 29 April 1949 vol 464 cc519-20

Resolution reported:

"That, for the purposes of any Act of the present Session to give effect to certain provisions of an agreement for promoting and co-ordinating the efficiency and development of the external telegraph services of the Commonwealth (hereinafter referred to as 'the Act'), it is expedient—

(1) to—

  1. (a) authorise the issue out of the Consolidated Fund of such sums. not exceeding in the whole four million pounds, as may be required by the Postmaster General for the purpose of making to Cable and Wireless Limited payments in consideration of the transfer to him of property owned by that Company;
  2. (b) authorise the Treasury to borrow, by means of terminable annuities, for the purpose of providing money for sums so authorised to be issued or of repaying to the Consolidated Fund all or any part of the sums so issued and authorise the payment into the Exchequer of any sums so borrowed;
  3. (c) provide for the payment of such terminable annuities out of moneys provided by Parliament for the service of the Post Office, or, if those moneys are insufficient, out of the Consolidated Fund;

(2) to authorise the payment out of moneys provided by Parliament of—

  1. (a) any sums payable by the Postmaster General by way of contribution towards the expenses of the Commonwealth Telecommunications Board established under the Act;
  2. (b) any sums payable by the Postmaster General by virtue of regulations made 520 under the Act with respect to the payment of pensions, being sums payable—
    1. (i) for making good a deficiency arising in a pension fund held for the purposes of a pension scheme established under or by virtue of the regulations or any of the existing pension schemes as defined by the Act or for or towards preventing a deficiency from so arising;
    2. (ii) by way of the making of contributions under any such pension scheme as aforesaid in respect of persons who enter the Civil Service of the State, being persons who have pension rights under any of the existing pension schemes as defined by the Act or persons other than as aforesaid who are or have been in the employment of Cable and Wireless Limited;
    3. (iii) by way of supplementing pensions payable, by virtue of any such scheme as is mentioned in head (i) of this subparagraph, to or in respect of such persons;
    4. (iv) by way of the making of payments to or in respect of any of such persons who had expectations of the accruer of pensions to or in respect of them in accordance with customary practices of their previous employers; and
    any increase attributable to any such regulations as aforesaid in the sums payable under the Superannuation Acts, 1834 to 1946, out of moneys provided by Parliament;
  3. (c) any sums payable by the Postmaster-General by virtue of regulations made under the Act with respect to the payment of compensation to persons who, on such date before the passing of the Act as may be specified in the regulations, were employed whole-time as officers or servants (but not directors) of Cable and Wireless Limited, being—
    1. (i) persons who suffer loss of employment in consequence of the giving of effect to Clause 5 of the said agreement by His Majesty's Government in the United Kingdom; or
    2. (ii) persons who suffer diminution of emoluments or pension rights in consequence of their entering the Civil Service of the State as a result of effects being given as aforesaid to that Clause; and
  4. (d) fees and allowances to any referee or board of referees appointed under the Act by the Minister of Labour and National Service to decide questions relating to pension rights or compensation, and allowances to witnesses appearing before any such referee or board."

Resolution agreed to.