§ Mr. Hordernasked the Lord President of the Council what would be the cost to public funds of paying a pension to former Members of Parliament, who had completed 10 years of service in the House, which was a sum amounting to half their parliamentary salary on leaving the House, and payable at the age of 65 years.
§ Mr. Edward Short:I regret that the costs of such a scheme could only be determined at disproportionate expense. In so far as it would involve the payment of pensions to former Members who left the House before the Members' Pension Scheme was introduced, it could have major repercussions on the cost of public service pensions generally.