§ 21. Mr. Boyd-Carpenterasked the Minister for the Civil Service whether he will now announce the changes which he proposes to make in Civil Service pensions to accommodate National Superannuation.
§ Mr. ShoreNo; but I have arranged for a copy of the interim progress report of the Civil Service Joint Superannuation Committee to be placed in the Library.
§ Mr. Boyd-CarpenterCan the right hon. Gentleman say what has been the initial reaction of the staff associations 14 to the proposal to substitute a heavily contributory pension for part of their noncontributory one? Have they shown any great enthusiasm for this?
§ Mr. ShoreIt would be difficult to summarise reaction at this stage, but I think that they have approached the matter with interest, and an open-mindedness and fair-mindedness which could well be copied.
§ 23. Sir B. Rhys Williamsasked the Minister for the Civil Service what progress has been made with the review of public service pensions increases; and whether future changes will be related to the general level of earnings.
§ Mr. ShoreI have nothing to add to my answer of 16th February to the hon. Member.—[Vol. 796, c. 28–9.]
§ Sir B. Rhys WilliamsIs the right hon. Gentleman being guided in his deliberations on this subject by any clear principle? If he is, can he annunciate it to the House?
§ Mr. ShoreWe know that these are matters which require very detailed consultation. The general principle is to be as fair as possible to civil servants and other public employees who have retired and whose pension rights are being eroded by rises in the cost of living.
§ Mr. Patrick JenkinDuring the debates on the last Pensions (Increases) Bill the right hon. Lady who was speaking for the Government said that it was intended to set up a departmental investigation into the whole question of the principles on which public service pensions were to be increased. Can the right hon. Gentleman say what progress has been made with that, when the committee will report, and whether its report will be published when it does?
§ Mr. ShoreI think that these matters must inevitably be considered, along with the general review of Civil Service pensions, in relation to the Government's new National Superannuation Scheme.
§ 24. Sir B. Rhys Williamsasked the Minister for the Civil Service what steps he will take to protect the pension rights of men leaving the Civil Service before the age of 50; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. ShoreThe Government have undertaken to introduce full preservation of Civil Service pension rights, covering a person's whole service, for those leaving after the operative date of the preservation provisions in the National Superannuation and Social Insurance Bill on terms no less favourable than those laid down in the Bill.
§ Sir B. Rhys WilliamsIs there any reason why this highly desirable reform should not be introduced at once? Has the right hon. Gentleman given serious thought to the great advantage of giving transferability of pension rights, and not merely preservation?
§ Mr. ShoreTransferability requires reciprocal arrangements, and we know that there are great problems there. As for bringing it in in advance of the National Superannuation Measure, this would require legislation, and, as I have already indicated, it must be considered in relation to the scheme as a whole.