§ Mr. Hoyleasked the Secretary of State for Social Services why he is delaying the approval for a small number of public health laboratory service employees to transfer from the Public Health Laboratory group superannuation scheme to the National Health Service superannuation scheme with nine years credit for every 10 years of service; whether this transfer will be approved by the end of this financial year, in the light of the fact that the Public Health Laboratory Service Board has sufficient funds for this year's budget to finance the transfer with purchase of added years' service, whereas this may not be possible later and that otherwise the pension entitlement of these employees would be substantially reduced; and if he will now approve the transfer by the end of March.
§ Mr. DeakinsThe back-service credit which can be given on transfer from one pension scheme to another depends on a comparison of the actuarial worth of the two schemes. This is still being considered in relation to these two schemes and I expect that it will be possible to reach a conclusion within the next few days. I understand, however, that it is unlikely that the comparison will justify a credit of as much as nine years for 10.