HC Deb 08 November 1976 vol 919 cc172-3

9.45 p.m.

Mr. G. R. Strauss (Vauxhall)

I beg to move, 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, 9th March 1965, 4th May 1971, 1st August 1972, 29th November 1974 and 27th November 1975 be varied as from 1st December 1976 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 £970 or such sum as, in the opinion of the trustees, will bring his income up to £1,765 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 £1,880 or such sum as, in their opinion, will bring his income up to £2,675 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 £485 or such sum as, in the opinion of the trustees, will bring her income up to £1,280 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 £940 or such sum as, in the opinion of the trustees, will bring her income up to £1,735 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 the paragraph, there shall be substituted the words:— 'the annual amount of any periodical payment made to any such widower shall not exceed £485 or such sum as, in the opinion of the trustees, will bring his income up to £1,280 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 £940 or such sum as, in the opinion of the trustees, will bring his income up to £1,735 per annum, whichever is the less.'

I move this motion on behalf of the Trustees of the Members' Fund. It sets out clearly what the trustees propose, and I do not think there is any point in my taking up the time of the House in describing it in detail. I shall, of course answer any questions that are put to me.

At present, 58 ex-Members and widows are benefiting as a result of the fund. The total present income of the fund is £15,000 from Members' contributions, £15,000 from grant-in-aid, and interest of about £15,000, amounting altogether to £45,000. Under the proposals now before the House, whereby it is suggested that we increase the maximum amount that may be payable to any beneficiaries in the coming year, an additional £6,500 will be paid. That is roughly in conformity with the increase in the cost of living and the increase in payments that are made out of the contributory pension fund. As the House realises, every applicant for a grant from the Members' Fund has to state what his or her income is. Every case is considered on its merits, and the trustees of the fund do this carefully before making any grant.

It may interest the House to know what long lives ex-Members of the House and widows usually have. I was looking at recent figures, from which it appears that in the year ended 31st December 1975 there were six ex-Members aged between 85 and 90 and one between 90 and 95 and four widows between the ages of 90 and 95 who were getting some grant from the Members' Fund.

I do not think there is anything I need add to that. If any hon. Member wishes to ask questions about how we administer the fund or to ask relevant questions about where the money comes from, I shall be happy to provide answers. Other than that, I ask the House to accept the recommendaion of the trustees, who believe that the amounts now proposed are necessary to enable ex-Members and widows to live a reasonably comfortable life without suffering serious hardship. The amounts suggested are related to but do not conform exactly with the increase in pensions out of the contributory pensions fund, but we think that these are fair proposals and I invite the House to accept them.

Question put and agreed to.