House of Commons Members' Fund (Hansard, 17 December 1981)

§ Mr. Alfred Morris (Manchester, Wythenshawe)

I beg to move, That, in pursuance of the provisions of section 3 of the House of Commons Members' Fund Act 1948 and of section 2 of the House of Commons Members' Fund and Parliamentary Pensions Act 1981 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 and the annual rate of any payments made under section 1 of the said Act of 1981 shall be varied as from 1st December 1981 as follows: (a) for paragraph 1 of schedule 1 to the said Act of 1939, as 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 £1,820 or such sum as, in the opinion of the trustees, will bring his income up to £3,365 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 £3,510 or such sum as, in their opinion, will bring his income up to £5,055 per annum, whichever is the less; (b) for paragraph 2 of that 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 £910 or such sum as, in the opinion of the trustees, will bring her income up to £2,455 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 £1,755 or such sum as, in the opinion of the trustees, will bring her income up to £3,300 per annum, whichever is the less; (c) in paragraph 2A of that 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 £910 or such sums as, in the opinion of the trustees, will bring his income up to £2,455 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 £1,755 512 or such sum as, in the opinion of the trustees, will bring his income up to £3,300 per annum, whichever is the less;' (d) in section 2(1) of the said Act of 1981, for the words from the beginning to the end of paragraph (b) there shall be substituted the words:— 'the annual rate of any payments made under section 1 shall be —

(a) £1,060 if the payments are made to a past Member; and
(b) £530 if the payments are made to the widow or widower of a past Member.'

It may be for the convenience of the House if we discuss at the same time the second motion. Both motions stand in my name and the names of the Father of the House, my hon. Friend the Member for Dagenham (Mr. Parker), and the hon. Member for Shrewsbury (Sir J. Langford-Holt). their purpose is clear from their wording, and I warmly commend them to the House.