§ Mr. Kenneth Clarkeasked the Minister for the Civil Service how many people are receiving Civil Service pensions; how many were contributory pensions and how many non-contributory; what was the cost of paying those pensions in the last full year; and what has been the additional cost of applying to them the inflation-proofing provisions of the 1971 Act.
§ Mr. Charles R. MorrisSome 290,000 Civil Service pensions are currently in payment to ex-civil servants and their dependants. As I explained in the reply I gave to the hon. Member on 8th December 1975, civil servants forgo pay to help meet the cost of their pensions. They also make specific contributions towards the cost of family benefits. Actual gross expenditure, ignoring receipts by way of 493W contributions and the value of pay forgone, on pensions and lump sum benefits in 1974–75 amounted to some £203 million. This includes the cost in that year of increases payable as a result of the 1974 and earlier reviews of public service pensions under the pensions increase arrangements. The estimated cost in a full year of the increase payable from 1st December 1975 as a result of the 1975 review is £41 million.