§ Mr. Heddleasked the Minister for the Civil Serivce what are the criteria applied in respect of the payment of pension, or part pension, to a convicted person who was, prior to conviction, in the service of the Crown.
§ Mr. ChannonPension benefits may be withheld wholly or in part if a civil servant or former civil servant is convicted of a serious offence in connection with his employment. Such cases are rare and no set criteria have been laid down for determining when and to what extent these discretionary powers should be used. Each case is considered individually according to the nature and seriousness of the offence, the penalties imposed by the courts and the personal circumstances and past record of the individual. In certain cases, the Minister is required to certify that the offence was either gravely injurious to the State or was liable to lead to serious loss of confidence in the public service.