§ 2. Mrs. Emmetasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the total number of Civil Service pensioners in receipt of a pension for full pensionable service of under £200 per annum; and what was the total numbers of pensioners with similar service in pension groups rising by £100 per annum.
§ Mr. Selwyn LloydAs the reply contains a number of figures, I will, with permission, circulate it in the OFFICIAL REPORT.
927 The following are the figures: The table below shows the estimated number of Civil Service pensioners both industrial and non-industrial at 30th September, 1961, in receipt of pension in respect of 40 or more years' pensionable service.
| Pension Group | Numbers of Pensioners | ||
| Under £200 p.a. | … | … | 1,000 |
| £200–£299 | … | … | 9,000 |
| £300–£399 | … | … | 8,000 |
| £400–£499 | … | … | 7,000 |
| £500–£599 | … | … | 4,000 |
| £600–£699 | … | … | 2,000 |
| £700–£799 | … | … | 2,000 |
| £800–£899 | … | … | 1,000 |
| £900–£999 | … | … | 1,000 |
| £1,000 or more p.a. | … | … | 1,000 |
§ 3. Mrs. Emmetasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the total number of non-industrial Civil Service pensions in payment on the latest date for which figures are available; and what was the percentage of these in which the total payment did not exceed £5 per week.
§ Mr. Selwyn LloydOn 30th September, 1961, the total number of pensions being paid to retired non-industrial civil servants was 137,000. Of these, 60 per cent. did not exceed £5 a week. But I would point out that about 90 per cent. of these pensions of below £5 a week are pensions paid to people who did not have a full career of reckonable service.
§ Mrs. EmmetDoes not my right hon. and learned Friend think that, in spite of the 90 per cent., the remainder need to have their conditions fully looked into once again? Living on under £5 a week is surely a very great hardship in these days.
§ Mr. LloydI am aware of that fact. But my hon. Friend will also realise that 90 per cent. of these pensions are not in respect of full careers of reckonable service. This is a matter which is under review.
§ Mr. CallaghanAs many of these people are suffering considerable hardship, if the right hon. and learned Gentleman is unable to undertake a review of the pensions, would not he reconsider the Income Tax burden on these lower income groups and introduce an Amendment on the Report stage of the Finance Bill to relieve people on that level entirely from taxation?
§ Mr. CallaghanWith respect, that is not so. The question concerns how we can help people on small pensions. If the right hon. and learned Gentleman finds it too costly to raise the pensions, why cannot he do something to exempt them from Income Tax?
§ Mr. JenningsIs my right hon. and learned Friend aware of the very large number of public service pensioners who are living on pensions based on very low salaries of many years ago? These are the people who have been most hardly hit by the inflationary process. Will he now initiate positive action in order to alleviate the lot of these poor people?
§ Dr. KingIs the Chancellor aware that over 150 hon. Members of all parties in the House have asked him to do something for the public service pensioners and particularly for the old public service pensioner whose pension has gone right out of step with the rising cost of living?
§ Mr. LloydI am aware of that fact and I assure the hon. Gentleman that I am considering this matter now.