§ 33. Mr. Channonasked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will seek to ensure that the pensions of the staff of the Arts Council are brought up to parity with the pensions of other civil servants of equivalent grades.
§ Miss Jennie LeeThe staff of the Arts Council are not civil servants. Their superannuation scheme, though otherwise broadly equivalent to the Civil Service scheme, is contributory. I am, however, prepared to consider sympathetically whether this difference between the two schemes could be adjusted, provided that it can be shown that the staff are in other respects analogous to civil servants.
§ Mr. ChannonWould not the right hon. Lady agree that it is an astonishing anomaly, brought to light by the Arts Council's Report, that this situation should exist? Is she aware that anything she can do to help in this matter would be much appreciated?
§ Miss LeeI have had no official representations from the Arts Council on this matter, although I know that there is some concern about it. We will certainly sympathetically consider what we can do if there is any feeling of injustice.