§ 5. Mr. Braineasked the Secretary of State for Commonwealth Relations what action he will take to ensure equitable treatment to members of Her Majesty's Overseas Civil Service who transferred from Nyasaland Government service to that of the Federal Government, on the promise that their careers would be assured, and who after the dissolution of the Federation accepted employment in Malawi under conditions inferior to those currently offered by the Malawi Government to officers recruited directly in Great Britain under arrangements subsidised by the British taxpayer.
§ 13. Mr. Longdenasked the Secretary of State for Commonwealth Relations, if he will make representations to the Government of Malawi to compensate more adequately those members of Her Majesty's Overseas Civil Service who were transferred from the service of the Nyasaland Government to that of the Federal Government, and who, on the dissolution of the Federation, re-entered the employment of the Government of Malawi and what were the recommendations of the Curtis Committee in respect of these civil servants.
§ Mr. BottomleyOn the question of terminal arrangements for members of the Federal Public Service, I have nothing to add to the reply my hon. Friend gave to the hon. Member for Hertfordshire, South West (Mr. Longden) on the 14th June. Any question concerning current terms of service is a matter for my right hon. Friend the Minister of Overseas Development. The Curtis Committee was an official working party appointed by the Governments concerned and its reports were not published.
§ Mr. BraineIs the Commonwealth Secretary aware that the officers concerned were not permitted to remain in the Colonial Service when their departments were transferred to the Federal Government but when the Federation was dissolved they were either dismissed without compensation or returned to Malawi to work under conditions inferior to other British expatriate officers? Is not this an unsatisfactory state of affairs, and in 1414 honour will the right hon. Gentleman do something about it?
§ Mr. BottomleyWhen these servants elected to join the Federal service they did so in the knowledge that they would end their service with Her Majesty's Government Overseas Civil Service. The pensionable members of the Federal service were given the option to join one of the territorial public services or to retire on pension. If comparable pensionable employment was not available they received compensation. Those who chose to join the public service in Nyasaland did so on contract terms and have received their enhanced pensions concurrently with their other salaries.
§ Mr. LongdenIs it not the case that when the Federal Government was formed these people were urged to enter this service and they were assured that their careers would not suffer if they did so, yet when the Federation was dissolved that promise was not honoured?
§ Mr. BottomleyThere is something which ought to be looked into, I agree with the hon. Member, and I understand that my right hon. Friend the Minister for Overseas Development has recently considered with the Malawi Government the current terms of service of some of these officers and new arrangements are being made.