§ Mr. R. Carrasked the Secretary of State for Defence how much retired pay was received by a major who retired in 1952 after maximum service; how much he receives today, assuming he is 59 years of age; and by how much the cost of living has risen during this period.
§ Mr. ReynoldsA major retired in 1952 after maximum service received £500 a year retired pay. He would receive the same rate today at the age of 59, unless he has since become permanently incapacitated. The cost of living as measured by the Ministry of Labour retail price indices has risen by 57.5 per cent. since 1952.
§ Mr. R. Carrasked the Secretary of State for Defence by what amount the maximum retired pay of a lieutenant-colonel, on the 1919 Code and the 1956 Code, respectively, was increased as a result of the last two pensions increase measures.
§ Mr. Reynolds£229 a year and £249 a year respectively, if he was over 60 but under 70 years of age at the time.
§ Mr. R. Carrasked the Secretary of State for Defence by what percentage the retired pay of a major, under 60 years of age, retired on the 1950 Code, would have to be increased to bring it up to that of a major retiring today, assuming both had 25 years' service.
§ Mr. Reynolds100 per cent.
§ Mr. R. Carrasked the Secretary of State for Defence what is the retired pay today of a major-general who retired at the end of the 1939–45 war on the 1919 Code after maximum service and who, having no terminal grant, had found it necessary to commute half of his retired pay on retirement; what is the maximum retired pay of a major-general who retires today; and what terminal grant he would receive.
§ Mr. ReynoldsA major-general who retired at the end of 1939–45 war would have normally retired on the 1945 code and, with maximum service, would have received £1,100 a year retired pay. If he commuted half his award as soon as348W he retired, his present rate of retired pay, increased under the Pensions (Increase) Warrants, would be £918 a year.
A major-general retiring today with maximum service receives £2,590 a year retired pay and a terminal grant of £7,770.
§ Mr. R. Carrasked the Secretary of State for Defence by how much the retired pay of a major who retired with maximum service in 1935, and is now over 80 years of age, has been increased; and by how much the cost of living has risen since his retirement.
§ Mr. ReynoldsBy £393 to £800 a year. The increase in the cost of living since 1935 as measured by the Ministry of Labour cost of living and retail price indices is about 300 per cent.