§ 2. Mr. Sharplesasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether, in view of the Government's decision to accept the recommendation of the Advisory Committee on the pay of Higher Civil Servants, it is now proposed to increase the pensions of those higher civil servants who retired after 31st December, 1947, and who have received no benefit under the Pension Increase Acts.
§ Mr. SharplesMay I ask my right hon. Friend to reconsider this question, bearing in mind the fall in the standard of living which some of these people have suffered since the date I mentioned, and, secondly, because the main reason advanced for excluding them has now largely disappeared?
§ Mr. ThorneycroftI appreciate the arguments which my hon. Friend has in mind, but it was necessary to make a judgment as to the extent to which we could ask taxpayers to assist the relatively well-off classes of these pensioners. However, I will bear the point in mind.