§ Mr. PALINasked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury the number of civil servants in the United Kingdom who are employed under conditions providing for superannuation payments on retirement; and will he give distinguishing particulars, if any, of the pensions which are on a contributory basis?
§ Mr. McNeillThe number of civil servants serving in the United Kingdom who are eligible for non-contributory pensions under the Superannuation Acts is estimated to be about 215,000. In addition, about 800 unestablished officers with scientific qualifications who are employed by the Service Departments and the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research have been brought under the federated superannuation scheme for the Universities. Under this scheme a sum equal to 15 per cent. of the officers' salaries, 10 per cent. of which is contributed by the employing Department and 5 per cent. by the officers, is used to take out with certain insurance companies policies of a type chosen by the officer within certain limits, such as an insurance policy payable at death, an endowment policy or a deferred annuity.