§ Mr. Marloweasked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Defence whether he will publish in HANSARD the following documents relating to the retired pay of Service officers, Admiralty Monthly Order 2483A, dated 19th July, 1919, Army Order 324 of 1919 and Air Ministry Weekly Order 1003 of 1919 and the relevant documents by which the officers in receipt of pensions prior to 1935 were informed that such pensions were no longer to be adjusted to the cost of living but were to be frozen at 9½ per cent. below the 1920 level.
§ 1932. Mr. BirchI regret that these Orders are too voluminous to reproduce in HANSARD, but copies of them and of the Army etc. Orders of August, 1934, and76W May, 1935, will be placed in the Library of the House. I am publishing in HANSARD copy of a notice issued in October, 1932, announcing the decision of the Government that emoluments of Crown Servants (including retired pay) would thereafter cease to vary automatically with changes in the cost-of-living index figure, and copy of a pro-forma letter of June, 1935, informing individual Army officers of the level at which their retired pay was to be consolidated.
The copies are as follow:
PAYMASTER GENERAL'S OFFICE,
WHITEHALL, S.W.I.
October,
The War Office have notified the Paymaster General that the average of the cost-of-living index figures for the six months ending 31st July, 1932, would normally entail a reduction in current rates of half pay and retired pay as from 1st October, 1932, but that His Majesty's Government have had the whole question of the remuneration of the services of the Crown under review and have decided that emoluments should now cease to vary automatically with changes in the index figure but shall be consolidated.
They have further decided that, subject always to the overriding consideration of the national financial position, final consolidation shall be deferred until 1st April, 1934, and that, in the meantime, the rates shall be stabilised at the current reduction from standard rates, viz., 11 per cent. (which corresponds to an index figure of about 49), subject to the proviso in the following paragraph.
If, during the above period of stabilisation, the index figure remains below 35 or above 60 for six consecutive months, the resultant situation will be reviewed in the light of all relevant considerations, including the cost of living.
THE WAR OFFICE,
LONDON, S.W.I.
June, 1935.
SIR,
I am commanded by the Army Council to inform you that, consequent on the decision of His Majesty's Government to consolidate the pay, half-pay and retired pay of the Fighting Services on the basis of a reduction of 9½ per cent. in the original standard rates, your retired pay will be increased to £: : a year with effect from 1st July, 1935.
The necessary adjustment will be made by His Majesty's Paymaster-General.
§ Mr. Marloweasked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Defence the amount of the basic pension now being paid to a lieutenant-colonel of 25 years' service who retired in 1939; and the 77W amount of the basic pension now received by an officer of equivalent rank and service who retired in 1952.
§ Mr. BirchAssuming the lieutenant-colonel was a combatant officer retiring in 1939 his retired pay would have depended on his age. As an example, if he was 46 on retirement the rate would have been £543 a year. This would have been increased unconditionally to £583 14s. 6d. a year under the 1944 pensions increase scheme.
The rates of retired pay and terminal grant to which a lieutenant-colonel would have been entitled on retirement in 1952 will be found in Appendix 1 of Cmd. 8323.