§ Mr. RHYS DAVIESasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer the total number of persons in receipt of a pension and/or superannuation allowances, other than disability and War pensions, and the annual cost to the Exchequer and local authorities; and what would be the annual cost of granting pensions of 20s. a week to all persons at the age of 60 if all other State or local government pensions were abolished, such pensions at 60 to be granted only to persons not following remunerative employment?
§ Mr. HORE-BELISHAThe hon. Member will find figures as to the numbers and cost of Civil Service, Navy, Army and Air Force, police and teachers' pensions in a reply given by my right hon. Friend the then Financial Secretary to the Treasury, to the hon. Member for West Walthamstow (Mr. McEntee) on 8th February, 1932, of which I am sending him a copy. As regards the second half of the question, I am not clear whether the hon. Member has in mind that the rights of existing members of the Crown and other services to pensions at the prescribed ages of retirement or on invalidity, should be limited to the uniform figure of 20s. a week, commencing not earlier than age 60. Nor do I understand whether he proposes that in the case of contributory schemes, e.g., those for local government officials,814W teachers and police, the contributions already paid should be confiscated. I am afraid that the nature of the proposal is such that I can form no estimate of what its cost would be.