§ Mr. Sharplesasked the Minister of Overseas Development if she will now make a statement about pensions for indigenous public servants formerly employed by the British administration in Southern Yemen.
§ Mrs. HartIn the view of Her Majesty's Government responsibility for the payment of pensions to public servants in Southern Yemen rests with the Government of that country. However, the circumstances in which Southern Yemen became independent in 1967 were such that it was not possible, and has not been possible since then, to conclude a Public Officers Agreement such as is normally reached when a dependency becomes independent. The Southern Yemen Government has never acknowledged responsibility for public service pensions and payment of the great majority of them has been discontinued by that Government. Having regard to all the circumstances Her Majesty's Government have carefully considered this situation 209W and have decided that so far as concerns indigenous pensioners of the civil administration and civil police they are prepared to make ex gratia loan advances equivalent to the amount of pensions with effect from 1st April, 1970, in respect of service given up to 30th November, 1967. In taking this step to alleviate hardship to individual pensions Her Majesty's Government in no way modify their view that responsibility rests with the Government of the Southern Yemen.
The estimated cost of the necessary loan advances in the coming financial year is £430,000 and a supplementary estimate will be presented in due course. Meanwhile, advances will be sought from the Civil Contingencies Fund.