HC Deb 14 February 1977 vol 926 c19W
Mr. Costain

asked the Minister for the Civil Service what was the number of Civil Service pensioners at 31st March 1976 and 31st March 1963, respectively.

Mr. Charles R. Morris

Statistics of numbers of Civil Service pensioners relate to the mid-point rather than the end of a financial year and the numbers at 31st March 1976 and 31st March 1963 are therefore not readily available. The number of Civil Service pensioners at 30th September 1976 was 302,416 and at 30th September 1963 was 243,157. Both figures include, widows, children and other dependants as well as retired officers but exclude retired officers whose pensions were wholly suspended because of re-employment in the Civil Service. The 1963 total includes some 82,000 pensioners whose pensions became payable from the Post Office Superannuation Fund when the corporation was set up in 1969.