80. Mr. Baldwinasked the Secretary Of State for the Colonies the total sum received by the Governments of African Colonies in contributions from Colonial civil servants to widows' and orphans' pension schemes since their inception; and what is the total sum paid out to date in benefits.
Mr. Creech JonesThe approximate figures are: Total Receipts, 4½ million pounds; total Benefit Payments, 1½ million pounds. An actuarial investigation of the East African scheme is about to be undertaken and the West African Governments have recently decided that a similar review should be undertaken of rates of contributions and benefits of the West African scheme in which, incidentally, the position is that since 1943 payments have exceeded receipts. It will, of course, be understood that these are in the nature of insurance schemes, based upon actuarial principles, and that the figures of receipts and payments are not in themselves of any special significance.