HC Deb 04 May 1971 vol 816 cc1332-3

Resolved, That one tenth of the sums deducted or set aside in the current year from the salaries of Members of Parliament under section one of the House of Commons Members' Fund Act 1939, and one tenth of the contribution determined by the Treasury for the current year under section one of the House of Commons Members' Fund Act 1957, be appropriated for the purposes of section four of the House of Commons Members' Fund Act 1948.—[Sir R. Cary.]

Resolved, That, in pursuance of the provisions of Section 3 of the House of Commons Members' Fund Act 1948, the maximum annual amounts of the periodical payments which may be made out of the House of Commons Members' Fund under the House of Commons Members' Fund Act 1939, as amended by the said Act of 1948 and by the Resolutions of the House of 17th November 1955, 7th March 1957, 17th May 1961 and 9th March 1965 be varied as from 1st May 1971 as follows:— (a) for paragraph 1 of Schedule 1 to the said Act of 1939, as so amended, there shall be substituted the following paragraph:— '1. The annual amount of any periodical payment made to any person by virtue of his past membership of the House of Commons shall not exceed £600 or such sum as, in the opinion of the trustees, will bring his income up to £850 per annum, whichever is the less: Provided that if, having regard to length of service and need, the trustees think fit, they may make a larger payment not exceeding £1,080 or such sum as, in their opinion, will bring his income up to £1,330 per annum, whichever is the less'; (b) for paragraph 2 of the said Schedule there shall be substituted the following paragraph:— '2. The annual amount of any periodical payment to any person by virtue of her being a widow of a past Member of the House of Commons shall not exceed £360 or such sum as, in the opinion of the trustees, will bring her income up to £610 per annum, whichever is the less: Provided that if, having regard to her husband's length of service or to her need, the trustees think fit, they may make a larger payment not exceeding £540 or such sum as, in the opinion of the trustees, will bring her income up to £790 per annum, whichever is the less'; (c) in paragraph 2A of the said Schedule for the words ' the annual amount of any periodical payment' to the end of paragraph, there shall he substituted the words— 'the annual amount of any periodical payment made to any such widower shall not exceed £360 or such sum as, in the opinion of the trustees, will bring his income up to £610 per annum, whichever is the less: Provided that if, having regard to his wife's length of service or to his needs, the trustees think fit, they may make a larger payment not exceeding £540 or such sum as, in the opinion of the trustees, will bring his income up to £790 per annum, whichever is the less'.—[Sir R. Cary.]