HC Deb 19 April 1956 vol 551 cc1159-60
22. Mr. Beswick

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department the maximum supplemental pension which can be paid under present regulations to a police constable who is invalided from the force as totally disabled from injuries received during the course of duty after twenty-four years and six months' service.

Mr. Deedes

The maximum supplemental pension to such a constable would be eighteen-sixtieths of his average pensionable pay. This would be payable in addition to an ill-health pension of twenty-nine-sixtieths of his average pensionable pay, making a total of forty-seven-sixtieths.

Mr. Beswick

Does not the Minister's Answer rather evade the Question? Does not that figure include the pension which the policeman would have got if he came out of the service in the ordinary way without ill-health? Is it not a fact that when one subtracts the pension to which he would be entitled, the supplemental amount is 2s. or 3s. a week? Does not the hon. Gentleman agree with what one former officer said to me, that that is a high price to pay for devotion in holding to the high principles of the police service? Will he not look into the matter?

Mr. Deedes

I am aware of the hon. Gentleman's interest in this matter, but he has not got the facts quite right. The pension payable to an officer after twenty-five years' service is thirty-sixtieths of his pensionable pay. The scale of supplemental pension is based on the unanimous recommendations of a committee of the Police Council, which includes serving officers.

Mr. Beswick

I am aware of the point, but that decision was reached some time ago. In view of some recent cases, would not the Joint Under-Secretary agree that it is appropriate to look into the matter again, as the thirty-sixtieths is payable to a police officer retiring in the ordinary way. Does that not bear out my point that the difference between what the police officer gets in the ordinary way and what he gets after injury amounts only to 2s. or 3s. a week?

Mr. Deedes

The figures which I have given—as the hon. Member will appreciate, it is not easy to deal with the matter by Question and Answer—represent a substantial difference.