§ LORD FRASER OF LONSDALEMy Lords, I beg leave to ask the first Question which stands in my name on the Order Paper.
§ [The Question was as follows:
§ To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they have it in mind to adjust war pensions and allowances upwards this year, to take into account the rising cost of living and standard of living.]
§ THE PARLIAMENTARY UNDER-SECRETARY OF STATE, MINISTRY OF EDUCATION AND SCIENCE (LORD BELSTEAD)The Answer I must give, my Lords, is, No. Her Majesty's Government are fully aware of the need to maintain the purchasing power of war pensions and allowances but, for this year, it is not in mind to increase the present rates, which are still worth significantly more than the previous rates when they were improved last November.
§ LORD FRASER OF LONSDALEMy Lords, will the noble Lord bear in mind that successive Governments over many decades have undertaken to keep these pensions and allowances in line with the cost of living and standards of living, and that Mr. Wilson himself, when he was Prime Minister, said within this year 418 that he contemplated doing something about this in the autumn?
§ LORD BELSTEADMy Lords, I most willingly say to the noble Lord, Lord Fraser, that the spirit of what he says is in the mind of the Government. When a similar Question was asked in May, the noble Lord, Lord Beswick, referred to the fact that special cases would be watched. After only three weeks in office I do not think I can improve very much on that. I would just add that we are aware that in practice the rates of war pensions have been reviewed every two years, and I know it is the view of the Government that war pensions are a debt of honour. The most that can reasonably be promised now is that in the light of the Conservative Manifesto the war pensions preference would we hope be maintained.
§ LORD SHACKLETONMy Lords, may I ask the noble Lord whether it is the intention of Her Majesty's Government to honour the undertaking, which was not just an Election promise—it was, in fact, a Government Statement based on many months' consideration—that there would be a system of complete inflation-proofing of war and public service pensions? I do not know whether the noble Lord has had time to get briefed on that matter. That was decided some weeks ago.
§ LORD BELSTEADMy Lords, I think this formed part of the Pensions Bill which fell, and I suppose in a way it is another Question.
§ LORD SHACKLETONMy Lords, I do not want to harass the noble Lord. He has not had long to learn about this matter. It was in no way part of the Pensions Bill; it did not arise in that connection. It was a definite undertaking. I suspect that the noble Earl the Leader of the House may have a little information about it.
THE LORD PRIVY SEAL (EARL JELLICOE)My Lords, I feel that I should be rather guarded at this stage. This matter is under study, and under urgent study. That is as far as I can go at the moment.
§ LORD FRASER OF LONSDALEMy Lords, if I venture to put down a Question, possibly for Written Answer, on the 419 day before we rise for the Recess, will the noble Lord on the Front Bench have had more time to look at it?
LORD INGLEWOODMy Lords, is the noble Lord aware that the statement made, to maintain war pensioners' preferences, will give very great satisfaction to Ex-Servicemen's organisations?
§ LORD SHACKLETONMy Lords, may I put it to the noble Earl the Leader of the House that when members of the Government are about to give a negative Answer there is no need to say, "The Answer I must give is 'No'?"
§ LORD BELSTEADMy Lords, if the noble Lord, Lord Fraser of Lonsdale, would care to put down a Question for Written Answer, I should hope that the Answer would be given before the Recess.