§ Mr. Wigginasked the Secretary of State for Defence:
(1) What courses, other than immediate resignation, are open to officers of the Services who disagree with the policies of Her Majesty's Government; and what effect such resignations will have on the terms of their pensions and retirement benefits:
(2) What are the terms under which senior officers may resign their commissions 36W if they are in disagreement with their political masters;
(3) On what, if any, grounds an officer of general rank may resign his commission prematurely without forfeiting his normal pension entitlement.
§ Mr. William RodgersIt is open to any officer of the Armed Forces who wishes to leave the Service for any reason to seek the consent of the Defence Council to his premature retirement. In the hypothetical case of a senior officer wishing to retire on grounds of policy disagreement, consent would not be unreasonably withheld. Retired pay and other terminal benefits appropriate to the length of service given would normally be paid without abatement, provided the officer was aged 50 or over and had given satisfactory service.