§ 19. Mr. Tilneyasked the Minister of Overseas Development whether, since the Index of Retail Prices has risen by 6.2 per cent. from the last time that the pensions of members of Her Majesty's Overseas Civil Service were supplemented, and the hourly wage rate index has risen by 10.2 per cent. during the same period, he will consider making a further supplement available for pensioners of those Commonwealth countries that have not increased pensions to expatriate officers in the meantime.
§ Mr. PrenticePension supplements to overseas pensioners are governed by the Pensions (Increase) Acts, 1962 and 1965, and correspond to those granted to United Kingdom public service pensioners. The Government's policy relating to public service pensioners was stated by my hon. Friend the Financial Secretary in his speech on 26th January. ߞ[Vol. 757; c. 796.]
§ Mr. TilneyMay I ask by how much prices have to rise before pensioners are thought of again?
§ Mr. PrenticeThese matters were dealt with by my hon. Friend in the speech to which I referred. He said that the Government would continue to keep this matter under review, and balance the claims of public service pensioners against other claims on the public purse.