§ Sir R. GOWERasked the President of the Board of Education whether he is aware that Mrs. Edith Mary Bell (née Standcliff), now of 25, Beaton Road, Gillingham, Kent, has been refused repayment of the superannuation contributions made by her whilst employed as an assistant mistress at the Beckett Street council schools, Leeds, notwithstanding that she is now married and has retired from the teaching profession, on the ground she is not entitled to such repayment until she has attained the age of 65 years; and whether he will consider the desirability of altering, if necessary by legislation, the provisions relating to the matter?
§ Mr. LEES-SMITHThe contributions paid by Mrs. Bell were under the Teachers' Superannuation Act, 1922. This provides for their repayment when the teacher can satisfy the Board that it is impossible for her, by reason of her age, to complete before attaining the age of 65 such number of years as are necessary to qualify her for a pension, and she has been informed accordingly. She will, in fact, be entitled to repayment shortly before she attains the age of 37. I cannot undertake to initiate legislation to amend the provisions of the Act.