§ 41. Mr. Arthur Lewisasked the Minister for the Civil Service whether the envisaged review of Civil Service and public servants' pensions will include the pensions of former Prime Ministers; and what at the latest stated date is the pension payable to a former Prime Minister.
§ Mr. David HowellThe annual rate of pension is £4,000 for any Prime Minister who retires after 31st March, 1965. As to the first part of the Question, I must ask the hon. Member to await the publication of the Pensions (Increase) Bill.
§ Mr. LewisI do not begrudge any Prime Minister a pension of £4,000 a year, even if he holds the job for only one year, but is it not a bit ludicrous that a right hon. Member who has served the House for, say, 40 years in many great Cabinet posts has to retire on a pension of £940 a year? Is it not a little ludicrous to give such a right hon. Member a nominal sum of £940, but a reasonable pension to ex-Prime Ministers.
§ Mr. HowellI think that that raises wider questions than that of the Prime Minister's pension alone, and on this I must ask the hon. Gentleman to await the publication of the Pensions (Increase) Bill.
§ Mr. TapsellWill my hon. Friend accept that there is an extraordinary disproportion between the compensation given to the chairman of a nationalised industry who is dismissed and that given to distinguished statesmen and Cabinet Ministers after a lifetime's service.
§ Mr. HowellI think that that is another question.