HC Deb 13 March 1961 vol 636 cc974-6
39. Mr. Tilney

asked the Lord Privy Seal what guarantee for the continued payment of pensions to retired British civil servants Her Majesty's Government obtained when the Anglo-Egyptian Sudan obtained self-government in 1955.

Mr. Heath

In November, 1954, the Governor General of the Sudan was authorised to assure his officials that Her Majesty's Government intended to ensure the security of their pensions by means of a formal agreement to be entered into between Her Majesty's Government and the Sudan Government. Unfortunately, despite repeated approaches by Her Majesty's Ambassador in Khartoum, the various Sudan Governments since independence have felt themselves unable to conclude such an agreement. On 22nd April, 1954, however, the first Sudan Government declared that it recognised and respected expatriates' rights to pensions and we are confident that this undertaking will continue to be honoured.

Mr. Tilney

Is my right hon. Friend aware that not only are Sudanese civil servants' pensions below those of the United Kingdom under the 1959 Pensions (Increase) Act, but the pensioners are very worried about their basic pension, especially as the Sudan is dependent on one crop, and will he bear in mind that if anything should go wrong there might be a considerable time gap when the pensioners might get nothing at all?

Mr. Heath

I will note the point which my hon. Friend has made. I explained to him in an answer to a Question on 22nd February that, despite a number of representations, the Sudan Government had informed us in September that they were unable to make any further increase of these pensions.

41. Mr. Tilney

asked the Lord Privy Seal whether the civil servants recruited in Great Britain to serve the Anglo-Egyptian Condominium of the Sudan were regarded as being in the service of the Crown.

Mr. Heath

These officials were not so regarded.

Mr. Tilney

Is not this a very bad advertisement for those who wish to serve Her Majesty indirectly overseas? Was not the Condominium a shared responsibility under the Crown with Egypt?

Mr. Heath

As my hon. Friend will appreciate, this is to a certain extent a technical point, but on the best advice that we have been able to obtain the situation is as I have described it. The Governor-General held no commission from the British Crown and members of the Sudanese Civil Service were recruited by the Sudan Government. Relations between. Her Majesty's Government and the Sudan Government were effected through the Foreign Office and that is sufficient basis for saying that these officials were not regarded as being in the service of the Crown.

Mr. Paget

In view of the fact that we are in the process of handing over various Colonial Territories to self-government and that it is of tremendous importance that British civil servants should continue to serve, is it not of great importance in cases like this that it should be made quite clear that the British Government stand behind the civil servants and their pension rights? If the Government swindle people in this way, they will not get the service.

Mr. Heath

I entirely agree with the hon. and learned Member about the Colonial Service. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Colonies has been paying great attention to this matter, as the House knows. The point about this Question is that these servants were not in the same position, for the reasons I have stated, but that does not alter the fact contained in my Answer that Her Majesty's Government have endeavoured to arrange with the new independent Government of the Sudan the best arrangement possible and have made representations on behalf of these civil servants about their pensions.

Mr. Lindsay

Will my right hon. Friend represent to the Sudan Government that we are exceedingly jubilant and happy about the excellent relations existing between our two countries since independence, but that that jubilation will be prejudiced if fair treatment is not given to that fine band of British servants of their country who did so much to make independence flow so well after the political decision was taken?

Mr. Heath

As I have already explained, we have made representations on several occasions to the Sudan Government, and when a suitable occasion occurs I will bear in mind what my hon. Friend has said.