HC Deb 20 January 1954 vol 522 cc169-70W
Mr. O'Brien

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he is aware that a number of temporary civil servants recruited before and during the period of national emergency at a comparatively advanced age are approaching, or have reached, the age for compulsory retirement, and that they are being discharged

authorisations in force under Section 1 of the Housing (Temporary Accommodation) Act, 1945; the respective total acreages; the total numbers of temporary houses covered by such authorisations; and the earliest and latest date at which in each region any such authorisation will determine unless revoked.

Mr. H. Macmillan

The following is the information required in so far as it is readily available. The acreage figures cannot be collated without excessive labour.

with no means of support beyond a gratuity of about three months' salary; how many temporary civil servants are so affected or likely to be so affected in the near future; and whether he will consider rectifying this position by automatic establishment of all temporary civil servants on discharge under age limit regulations, with the right to a pension on the usual basis calculated on the whole period of their satisfactory service.

Mr. Boyd-Carpenter

There is no compulsory retiring age for temporary civil servants. They are retained beyond the age of 65 if they are fit and efficient and there is work for them to do. Temporary civil servants with at least seven years reckonable service are eligible when they leave, for gratuity of a week's pay for each year of service prescribed in the Superannuation Acts. They have, of course, the same rights under the National Insurance Acts as the rest of the community. There are no central records of temporary staff from which I could compile the figures for which the hon. Member asks.

The answer to the last part of the Question is "No.