§ Captain P. MACDONALDasked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury whether he is aware that arrears of pension are claimed to be due to ex-Warder John Williams, of 4, Albany Terrace, Hunny Hill, Newport, Isle of Wight, and to the widow of ex-Warder Silvester of 127, Hunny Hill, Isle of Silve, Wight, in respect of their re-established service not having been added to their former established service for the calculation of their pensions; whether, in view of the fact that the pensioners were officially recalled under The Superannuation Act, 1859, Section 11, he will state why their recalled and re-established period of service was not added to their former service and counted for pension purposes; whether the reason for rejecting the claim is that the officers were over 60 years of age when recalled; whether he is aware that, under the authority of the Treasury Minute dated 19th July, 1900, 11 persons were retained after the age of 65 and the additional period of service pensioned; and that five prison officers over 65 years of age in Ireland were retained and the extended service subsequently counted for pension under the Imperial Government?
§ Mr. McNEILLThe answer to the first and third parts of the question is in the affirmative. The officers in question were re-employed in a temporary capacity and Section 11 of the Superannuation Act, 1859, was not applicable to their case. The officers referred to in the last two parts of the question continued to serve in an established capacity up to the date of their retirement. As stated in my reply of 13th July, 1926, to the hon. Member for the Edge Hill Division of Liverpool (Mr. Hayes), I have carefully considered all the circumstances of these cases, but I regret to be unable to depart from the decision previously reached.