§ Mr. FORRESTasked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury what increased liability would, according to official esti- 1129W mate, have to be incurred by the State were pre-war State pensions in general brought up to the level of the present scale; and if, in furnishing such information, he can allocate the extra charge among the different classes of pensioners?
§ Mr. BALDWINIt is not possible to give more than a very rough estimate, but it has been calculated that the direct initial charge on the Exchequer would certainly not be less than £7,000,000 a year. In round figures this sum would be distributed as follows:—
In addition, heavy burdens would be thrown on local funds. The annual cost would, of course, diminish gradually as the number of pre-war pensioners is reduced by death. The present value of the total cost may be put at not less than £50,000,000.
£ Civil Service … … 2,000,000 Army … … 1,500,000 Navy … … 1,000,000 Police … … 2,100,000 Teachers … … 400,000