§ Rev. Ian Paisleyasked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on the pension fund contributed to by Storment Members and also Assembly Members.
§ Mr. Merlyn ReesThe contributions deducted from salary paid to former Members of the Northern Ireland Parliament under Part II of the Ministerial Salaries and Members' Pension Act (Northern Ireland) 1965 have been credited to the Members' Contributory Pensions (Northern Ireland) Fund. Members of the Northern Ireland Assembly are not contributors to the fund.
The last annual audited accounts of the fund, in respect of the year 1972–73, were presented to the Northern Ireland Assembly in February 1974; those in respect of the year 1973–74 are expected to be published in early 1975. With regard to the future of the fund, changes in the statutory provisions governing benefits payable from the fund are currently under consideration.