REMUNERATION OF MINISTERS AND OTHER OFFICERS

HC Deb 14 July 1987 vol 119 cc1054-5

Question proposed, That the clause stand part of the Bill.

Sir Brandon Rhys Williams

Virtually all the provisions in the clause are new. They did not appear at all, or did not appear in this form, in the Bill that we considered in March. As the clause reflects on the remuneration of Ministers and other officers, perhaps it would be appropriate for the Committee to ask my right hon. Friend the Minister to give us a brief explanation of what it portends. These provisions are rather complex but presumably they have a meaning, and I think that the Committee should know what it is.

Mr. Norman Lamont

As my hon. Friend the Member for Kensington (Sir B. Rhys Williams) has said, this clause has been amended because of the provisions in the Parliamentary and Other Pensions Act which was enacted just before the general election. I do not believe that there are consderable changes of substance. Members of Parliament who are holders of qualifying offices may elect not to participate in the parliamentary pension scheme in relation to their salary from that office. In such cases, the clause enables the salary from the qualifying office to be treated as relevant earnings for personal pension purposes.

Question put and agreed to.

Clause 52 ordered to stand part of the Bill.

Clause 53 ordered to stand part of the Bill.