§ Mr. Mike Thomasasked the Prime Minister what rules concerning the continuation or retention of pension rights from a former employment apply to staff entering the Civil Service.
§ The Prime MinisterParagraph 6 of schedule 16 to the Social Security Act 1973 provides that a member of a pension scheme, who is over 26, who has five years' qualifying service, and who leaves before the retiring age, shall have his accrued rights preserved in that scheme. A person who comes into the Civil Service may, instead, have his accrued rights transferred to the Civil Service scheme. This applies also to those who are not entitled to preserved benefits. Transfers of pension rights depend, however, on the payment of a transfer value by the sending scheme. The detailed provisions for entrants to the Civil Service are set out in rules 6.9 to 6.14 of the rules of the principal Civil Service pension scheme, a copy of which is available in the Library of the House.