§ 36. Dr. Kingasked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation whether he will raise the pensions of British Railways superannuitants because of the rise in the cost of living since the last adjustment was made.
§ Mr. WatkinsonNo, Sir. I must leave it to the British Transport Commission to decide the extent to which its circumstances permit it to give supplements to railway pensioners.
§ Dr. KingWhile I appreciate the good work which the Minister did personally in April, 1956, in getting the industry to raise the pensions of these men, may I ask him to bear in mind that the few shillings which the lowest-paid super-annuitants received in those clays as an increase hardly matched the then rise in the cost of living, that two years of inflation have followed and that some of these veteran servants of British Railways are enduring hardship?
§ Mr. WatkinsonI do not disagree with that. I certainly felt that it was right to press the Commission, as I did, to do the utmost that it could, but when in its judgment the Commission tells me, as it has, that it has gone to the limit for the moment, I must accept its view.
§ Dame Irene WardIn view of the fact that the Minister stimulated the British Transport Commission on the previous occasion, for which all railway super-annuitants are extremely grateful, will he bear in mind that a little more stimulus and a little more saving on the part of the Commission could help these people? Is he not aware that a great many of these superannuitants receive a disgracefully small amount, that the railwaymen did a magnificent job during the war and that something further ought to be done to help them?
§ Mr. WatkinsonI will take note of what my hon. Friend has said, but I must rest on the firm position—I do not want the House to misunderstand it—that the final judgment here is what the Commission honestly thinks it can afford.
§ 37. Dr. Kingasked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation what percentage increase has been made in the pensions of British Railways super-annuitants since 1947.
§ Mr. WatkinsonThe British Transport Commission's schemes of pension supplements are not based on percentages. I am sending the hon. Member copies of the details of the schemes as published by the Commission.
§ Dr. KingIs the Minister aware that the details, when he sends them, will show 1046 that these superannuitants have never had their pensions increased at anything like the same rate as State and local government servants, whose pensions are covered by the various Pensions (Increase) Acts? Will he bear in mind that even in the improvement which he made in April, 1956, to which I referred in my earlier supplementary question, quite a number of these superannuitants received no increase in their pensions at all? Will he give the matter sympathetic consideration?
§ Mr. WatkinsonI know that it is very complicated and I know, too, that there are cases of great difficulty. I will draw to the Commission's attention what hon. Members on both sides of the House have said, but I must rest on my previous Answer that this is the Commission's decision.