§ Captain PLUGGEasked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury for what reason the Government has not yet adopted the recommendation of the Royal Commission on the Civil Service to the effect that there should be an inquiry into the possibility of arranging a contributory pension scheme for industrial civil servants in His Majesty's dockyards and elsewhere; and whether it is intended to take any action in this respect in the near future?
§ Mr. W. S. MORRISONThe Royal Commission on the Civil Service were in favour of the general replacement of the existing system of Civil Service superannuation by three contributory pensions schemes, A, B and C, carrying different rates of contributions and benefits, of which Scheme C was applicable to industrial and analogous classes. The 1139W Commission recognised that it might be necessary on financial grounds to postpone the introduction of Scheme C, even if the other two schemes were adopted. They further suggested that even so the question of bringing industrial staffs within the scope of Scheme C would require special investigation.
It has been agreed between the official and staff sides of a joint committee of the National Whitley Council for the administrative and legal departments of the Civil Service that Schemes A and B should not be adopted. The question whether in these circumstances any purpose would be served by a special inquiry on the lines suggested by the Commission has been discussed on the appropriate Whitley body and is still on its agenda.