HC Deb 16 December 1982 vol 34 c576

Resolved,

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 1982 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 £2,016 or such sum as, in the opinion of the trustees, will bring his income up to £3,730 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 £3,894 or such sum as, in their opinion, will bring his income up to £5,608 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 £1,008 or such sum as, in the opinion of the trustees, will bring her income up to £2,722 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 £1,944 or such sum as, in the opinion of the trustees, will bring her income up to £3,658 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 £1,008 or such sum as, in the opinion of the trustees, will bring his income up to £2,722 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 £1,944 or such sum as, in the opinion of the trustees, will bring his income up to £3,658 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) £1,176 if the payments are made to a past Member; and (b) £588 if the payments are made to the widow or widower of a past Member.'—[Mr. John Parker.]