§ Mr. CROOM-JOHNSONasked the Home Secretary if his attention has been called to a recommendation of a subcommittee of the Somerset Standing Joint Committee that the length of police service required to qualify for ordinary pensions should be extended from 25 to 30 years; and whether, having regard to the fact that the police pensions payable by the Somerset County Council now amount to more than one-half of the total police pay of the county, he will give the recommendation in question generally his early consideration?
§ Sir J. GILMOURI have not seen this particular resolution: but the proposal that 30 years' police service should be required before ordinary retirement on1448W pension has been considered on various occasions. Legislation would be required to put it into effect: and it would have no effect on the cost of pensions for many years unless it were applied to men now serving. A proposal to extend the service of men now becoming entitled to retire was considered at the Police Council a year ago, but my predecessor did not adopt it. It should be remembered that all men who have joined a police force since the end of June, 1919, have to serve 30 years to earn full pension, although they can retire after 25 years' service with pension at a lower rate.