§ Mr. Arthur Lewisasked the Minister for the Civil Service whether he will give for the latest and most convenient stated date the total number of civil servants on the pension fund; to what extent these persons have to wait until they are 62 years of age before being entitled to pension; and how many of these have to forgo the first five years of their service for pension entitlement purposes.
§ Mr. Charles R. MorrisOn 1st January 1978, approximately 738,000 civil servants were covered by the Principal Civil Service Pension Scheme. Those entering the scheme are not entitled to pensions before they complete five years' qualifying service, unless they have transferred accrued rights from some other pension scheme. Reckonable service is limited to 40 years at age 60, so that service given before age 20 does not count for pension entitlement when a person retires after a full career. Full-time unestablished service before 14th July 1949 reckons only at half its actual length.