POLICE PENSIONS BILL. (Hansard, 21 June 1921)

THE EARL OF ONSLOW
My Lords, this Bill seeks to secure standardisation and equality of treatment in a. really equitable and generous system of pensions not only to policemen themselves, but also to their wives and orphans. The basis of the Bill is to be found in the Report and recommendations of the Committee on Police Service, which was presided over by-the noble Lord, Lord Desborough. Copies of the Report of that Committee are on the Table of your Lordships' House. It is a voluminous document, prepared with the greatest care after the Committee had gone thoroughly into every question regarding police service in England, Wales and Scotland. The essential principles laid down by the Committee were that the system of local police forces, as against a single I national police force, should be retained, but that the pensions of the service throughout should be standardised.
653 The Committee found that there were considerable differences in regard to pensions between one force and another, and concluded that there was only disadvantage in having different amounts in different local forces. The Scottish Acts of Parliament have standardised Scottish pensions, but at lower rates than those which apply in England. This Bill applies the principle or standardisation to English pensions, and fixes one scale of pension throughout England, Scotland and Wales. The rates are intermediate between those which apply in England and Scotland respectively at the present time. As regards the financial effect of this Bill, there will be some increase in cost in respect of the new scheme of disabled men's pensions and widows' pensions, and under one or two minor heads. In the long run, however, when the new scale of ordinary pensions takes effect, there will be a considerable saving in cost. The adoption of thirty years in England as the period to qualify for a full pension will more than counterbalance the increased cost under other heads for the English force, and generally will improve the pension scheme.
There are many clauses in the Bill but there are only three to which I need call special attention. Clause 1 extends to the lower ranks of the police force the principle of compulsory retirement at a certain age. Clause 2 is an important one, fixing pensions and gratuities. There are two classes of pension, the ordinary pension on retirement, either after full service or on medical certificate, and a special pension for incapacity through injury. There are also gratuities payable on retirement on medical grounds to a man who has not served the necessary period to qualify for a full pension. A man retiring with a medical certificate after ten years' service receives one-sixth of his pay, and after twenty-five years' service he may retire, without a medical certificate, on half-pay. After thirty years' service his retirement allowance is two-thirds of his pay. The provisions of the Bill in these respects follow the lines of the recommendations contained in the Report of the noble Lord's Committee. It adopts two fixed scales; length of service, and total disablement by non-accidental and accidental injuries. Provision is also made for pensions in the case of partial disablement, and for pensions and gratuities to women and children. The other clauses 654 are not of sufficidnt importance to necessitate a lengthy explanation.

§ LORD MUIR MACKENZIE
As this is a consolidation Bill may I ask whether it is one which, under the recent Order of the House, will go to the Joint Committee on Consolidation Bills?

THE EARL OF ONSLOW
I have not yet considered that point, but I will confer with the Authorities and will not proceed with the further stages of the Bill until it has been settled.