§ 43. Mr. Tom Kingasked the Minister for the Civil Service to what extent the measures to be taken to mitigate the effects of stages 1 and 2 of the incomes policy on the pension of civil servants retiring after January 1973 will represent comparable treatment between such pensioners and others in the public sector and in the private sector.
§ Mr. Kenneth BakerThe Government intend that the proposed measures should apply to the public sector generally and that the Inland Revenue code of practice for approved occupational pension schemes will be amended to allow private sector schemes to make similar arrangements if they wish to do so.
§ Mr. KingIs my hon. Friend aware how much that reply will be appreciated by those in occupational pension schemes? Obviously the House will welcome the fact that those approaching retirement will not be disadvantaged by the present counter-inflationary measures.
§ Mr. BakerI gave an undertaking recently as regards civil servants who retired from 1st January this year, and anyone in similar public service schemes will not be disadvantaged by the fact that there have been restrictions. It is only fair that the opportunity should not be denied to the private sector to change its pension scheme arrangements if it wishes.