§ Mr. Lawsonasked the Minister for the Civil Service what will be the percentage increase in Civil Service pensions that come into force on 1st December; what will be the cost of this increase; and how many former civil servants will be in receipt of pensions in excess of £8,500 following this increase.
§ Mr. Charles R. MorrisCivil Service pensions which came into payment before 2nd July 1974, between 2nd July 1974 and 1st January 1975, and between 2nd January 1975 and 1st July 1975 will be increased on 1st December by 26.1 per cent., 29.3 per cent. and 19.9 per cent. respectively. The cost of these increases 319W will be in the order of £38 million in a full year, the bulk in 1976.
Some 75 Civil Service pensioners from a total of over a quarter of a million will have pensions exceeding £8,500 following payment of this year's increase. Most of these will have retired after having served a full career and reached the very highest ranks in the Home Civil Service or the Diplomatic Service.