Sir N. STEWART SANDEMANasked the President of the Board of Education whether the pensions of teachers who retire during the next five years will be based upon the new lower scales of pay or upon the pay previously received, out of which they have already contributed 5 per cent.; and whether, if the lower scale is to be the accepted basis of pensions, a percentage of the contributions already paid on the higher scale will be refunded to them?
§ Sir D. MACLEANIt is not proposed to make any amendments in the provisions of the Teachers (Superannuation) Act, 1925, in accordance with which the pensions of teachers are calculated. They will, therefore, continue to be based generally speaking on the average salary received during the last five years of recognised or contributory service. The Act does not admit of any return of contributions by reason of a teacher having at any time received a higher salary than that on which his pension is calculated. I may remind the hon. Member that, inasmuch as the 5 per cent. contributions by teachers were not payable before 1922, the Exchequer will in any case have to bear the main burden of the pension of those teachers who retire in the near future.