POLICE PENSIONS (Hansard, 12 December 1956)

§ The Joint Under-Secretary of State for the Home Department (Mr. W. F. Deedes)
I beg to move, That the Draft Police Pensions (No. 3) Regulations, 1956, a copy of which was laid before this House on 29th November, be approved. Perhaps I should say a word about the background to these Regulations, which are brought forward because of changes in the National Insurance Scheme under the Family Allowances and National Insurance Act, 1956. Before July, 1948, police officers were outside the scope of State insurance, but, since then, they have contributed to National Insurance and their widows and children have been able to benefit.
The consequences of the changes of 1948 were that where an officer had died before the operative date, or had not paid the minimum contributions, his dependents were not eligible for benefit. It was agreed that their dependants ought not to be placed at a disadvantage by legislation of eight years ago, and therefore, police authorities can grant awards equivalent to those of the National Insurance scheme. The rates of those awards, and the conditions upon which they are granted are broadly related to the corresponding benefits under the National Insurance Scheme.
That is the background. Hon. Members will recall that the 1956 Family AllowanceŚ and National Insurance Act has increased the rates for children, and extended the conditions under which certain benefits are payable. So that police authorities can grant awards to those outside the National Insurance scheme—and this affects about half of the total—and pass on the advantages which I have mentioned, we have these Regulations. They simply give effect to the relevant improvements in the 1956 Act.
My right hon. and gallant Friend the Home Secretary has been in touch with the Police Council, which has endorsed these Regulations, which are designed to assist deceased officers' widows, and I commend them to the House.

§ Mr. Thomas Steele (Dunbartonshire, West)
I assure the Minister that we on this side of the House support these proposals. I have only one pertinent question to put. I understand that these Regulations are to bring into operation for the police the same provisions as are embodied in the Family Allowances and National Insurance Act, 1956, but it should be pointed out that the Act was first presented to the House as a Bill on 7th May, 1956. It was read a Second time on 15th May and received the Royal Assent on 5th July, and these provisions are now in operation.
It seems a pity that there should be this delay in bringing forward the Regulations. The Government were well aware on 7th May that they proposed to make this change. As these Regulations link up with previous Regulations to make the same provision for police widows as is already embodied in the Act there should be some explanation of the delay.

§ Mr. Deedes
The Police Pensions Act, 1948, which gave my right hon. and gallant Friend the power to administer the scheme under Regulations, laid down the form of procedure which he had to follow in making any Regulations. This procedure involves various interested parties and they have to give their approval. Perhaps my best course would be to outline what has happened since 5th July.
The Royal Assent was given on 5th July. The proposals were circulated to the police authorities in August. They were cleared by the police authorities at the end of September. The draft Regulations were prepared and circulated to the Police Council towards the end of October. They were approved by the Council at the beginning of November. They were revised, published and laid before both Houses on 29th November. Now we are at the 12th December. That outline fills the gap, at least to a certain extent.
I agree that the procedure takes time, but it is laid down by Statute and my right hon. and gallant Friend would be taken to task in other quarters if he attempted to curtail it unduly.

§ The Joint Under-Secretary of State for Scotland (Mr. J. Henderson Stewart)
I beg to move, That the Draft Police Pensions (Scotland) (No. 3) Regulations, 1956, a copy of which was laid before this House on 29th November, be approved. These draft Regulations are mutatis mutandis in terms precisely similar to those of the Regulations for England and Wales, described by my hon. Friend the Joint Under-Secretary of State for the Home Department. Therefore, no special Scottish point arises. The form of the 590 Regulations has been approved by the statutory Scottish Police Council.

§ Mr. Steele
I hope that on the next occasion the Scottish Office will show the English Department an example by bringing these Regulations forward a little more speedily.