HC Deb 30 March 1960 vol 620 cc1321-2
38. Mr. Freeth

asked the Minister of Defence whether he will make a statement with regard to granting to those who commuted part or all of their Service pensions a sum equivalent to the increases which have taken place subsequent to retirement in the retired pay of officers and men.

The Minister of Defence (Mr. Harold Watkinson)

As my hon. Friend the Financial Secretary to the Treasury said on 25th February, 1960, commutation is a voluntary action taken in the knowledge that it necessarily ends the Government's obligation in respect of that part of pension which is commuted.

Mr. Freeth

In answering a supplementary question put by my hon. Friend the Member for Macclesfield (Sir A. V. Harvey) on 11th November, my right hon. Friend stated that he did not wish to be unsympathetic about this and that he would look carefully into it. Am I to assume that he has decided that nothing further can be done even though, as he is probably aware, many of the people who have commuted their pensions have served many years overseas and have had to commute in order to find somewhere to live?

Mr. Watkinson

My hon. Friend is correct. I looked into the matter again, as I undertook to do, but I am afraid that I can see no way round this difficulty.