§ Sir FRANCIS LOWEasked the Secretary to the Treasury whether he can state the number of Civil Service pensioners who retired before 1915 and what would be the cost of granting them the same war bonus as those who retired afterwards?
§ Mr. BALDWINThe approximate numbers of Civil Service pensioners in 1915 will be found in the several Estimates for non-effective services for 1914–15. As I explained in reply to the hon. Member for Bolton on the 16th instant, the increases of pension in respect of war bonus to those who retired since 1915 are at varying rates, but if it is suggested that the pensions of those who retired before that date should be increased by 20 or 25 per cent., the cost would probably not be less than £700,000 a year.