§ Mr. G. Hallasked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury whether he will give the average age of retirement of police officers, based upon the Metropolitan figures, civil servants, teachers, men, and teachers, women; and will he give the average duration for which State pension is paid and, if possible, the minimum pension paid for the recognised length of service?
§ Captain WallaceIt is estimated that for persons retired on age grounds (or in the case of the police on completion of 25 years approved service or upwards) the figures are approximately as follow:
— Average age on retirement (or in the case of teachers on commencement of pension). Average duration of pension. Metropolitan Police 48 24 years. Civil Servants (men) 61 15½ years. Civil Servants (women). 60 18 years. Teachers (men) 62 14 years. Teachers (women) 61 17½ years. The average age on retirement for ill-health is about seven years less for Metropolitan Police and about 10 years less for civil servants and teachers. In all services the average duration of ill-health pensions is somewhat below the average for age cases. There is in none of these services a fixed minimum amount of pension. The minimum period which qualifies for a normal ill-health pension is 10 years and the pension is the appropriate fraction, under the scale applicable in each case, of the pensionable pay.