HL Deb 05 September 1939 vol 114 cc993-4

Brought from the Commons; and read 1a.

Then, Standing Order No. XXXIX having been suspended:

4.43 p.m.

THE PARLIAMENTARY UNDERSECRETARY OF STATE FOR DOMINION AFFAIRS (THE DUKE OF DEVONSHIRE)

My Lords, I beg to move that this Bill be read a second time. The main objects of the Bill are to empower local authorities and certain other authorities such as statutory undertakings to make up the balance of civil pay of their employees undertaking war service and to preserve the superannuation rights of those employees. The term "war service" includes civilian defence service. The Bill empowers the authorities to pay to the employee or his dependants a sum which shall not exceed the remuneration which he would have enjoyed had he not left to embark upon war service, after deducting therefrom the amount of his war service pay, including marriage, family and other similar allowances. The period of war service of an employee will be aggregated for superannuation purposes and reckoned in the same manner as service in his civil capacity.

Where an employee was liable to make contributions before he ceased to serve in his civil capacity he will be required to continue to make his contributions if the authority supplements his war service pay or if his war service pay is not less than his civil pay before he embarked on war service. If neither of these conditions is satisfied no contributions will be payable by the employee, but his period of war service will be reckonable as a period of service in respect of which his contributions have been paid and the liability will fall on the rates. That is to say, the Bill provides that local authorities may put their employees in the position of being no worse off as a result of undertaking war service. The Bill does not apply to teachers, because they are dealt with in a separate Bill, and it does not apply to professional firemen, because they similarly are dealt with in a separate Bill. Another provision which I ought to explain is one to secure that no person shall be disqualified for being elected or remaining a member of a local authority by reason of the fact that he has taken on civil defence work and thus technically become a servant of that authority. I beg to move.

Moved, That the Bill be now read 2a.—(The Duke of Devonshire.)

On Question, Bill read 2a: Committee negatived.

Bill read 3a, and passed, and a Message sent to the Commons to acquaint them therewith.