§ 35. Mr. Dodds-Parkerasked the Secretary of State for the Colonies why a circular was issued by his Department to Colonial Governments drawing attention to the discriminatory nature of pension increases made in United Kingdom Government pensions; and whether he will now instruct Colonial Governments to disregard this circular.
§ Mr. J. GriffithsI assume that this refers to circular despatches in which Colonial Governments were, some years ago, informed of the pension increase scheme sanctioned by Parliament for home service pensioners and were advised to base their own schemes on similar principles. I am not prepared to advise Colonial Governments to disregard the circulars in question.
§ Mr. Dodds-ParkerWould the Secretary of State at least be prepared to advise them that he has no objection if they are not discrimatory?
§ Mr. GriffithsSome of the governments have adopted schemes which vary from the one which they were advised to regard as a model. Whether they vary them is a matter for them to decide.
§ Mr. Thomas ReidIs it not a fact that after the First World War, when the cost of living rose very greatly, all the Colonies, without exception, freely granted increases of pension to those who had retired without any discrimination as to grades?
§ Mr. GriffithsI cannot, without notice, say what happened at the end of the First World War, but I said that we were advising colonial governments of what we were doing at home.