Retired Officers' Pay

HC Deb 09 July 1952 vol 503 cc1307-8

37. Mr. Legh

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Defence whether he can now make a statement about increases in the retired pay of retired officers of Her Majesty's Forces.

Mr. Birch

I would refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave yesterday to my hon. Friend the Member for Devizes (Mr. Hollis).

38. Mr. Marlowe

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Defence whether he will set up an inquiry to hear evidence from those retired officers of the Services who, by reason of their retirement date, were excluded from the pension and retired pay increases which have been granted to officers with a later retiring date.

Mr. Birch

No, Sir.

Mr. Marlowe

Is my hon. Friend aware that this is an extremely unsatisfactory state of affairs and that these unfortunate officers are almost the only section of the community which has had no increase of any kind whatever? Many of them have fought in two wars and a great number of them are receiving less pension than they did 20 years ago. The principle of increased pensions has been recognised in other Departments, and my hon. Friend really must do something about it now.

Mr. Birch

I very well realise that many of these officers are suffering considerable privation, but the late Government drew this line—a line had to be drawn somewhere—and my hon. and learned Friend will be aware that under the Pensions (Increase) Bill a number of these officers will benefit.

Mr. Marlowe

My hon. Friend is surely aware that only those now getting under £10 a week will benefit and that those getting more than £10 a week will get no advantage from the Pensions (Increase) Bill? Will my hon. Friend realise that the fact that the last Government did this is no excuse for his maintaining it now?

Mr. Shinwell

Is the hon. Gentleman aware that when this was discussed by the late Government it was understood that it would be considered along with increased pensions for other retired persons? Now the Government have brought in a scheme of that kind is it not possible to associate these people with it?

Mr. Birch

As the right hon. Gentleman knows, quite a number of these officers will be assisted by the increase that will be made under the Prerogative Instruments parallel with the Pensions (Increase) Bill when it becomes an Act. At the moment I can say nothing more. My noble Friend is receiving a Parliamentary delegation on the subject on the 21st of this month.