§ Mr. Canavanasked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether, pursuant to his reply to the hon. Member for Falkirk, West on 10 May, Official Report, column 518, he will state the average number of years of payment to recipients out of the Scottish teachers' superannuation scheme, taking into account the contributors to the scheme who have died within their period of service.
§ Mr. John MacKayIn the year to 31 March 1985, 948 pensioners within the Scottish teachers superannuation scheme died whilst in receipt of pension, and 130 contributors died within their period of service. Taking all these deaths into account, the average number of years of payment to former teachers, rounded down to the nearest whole year, was 14 years. Contributors to the scheme who die within their period of service will not, of course, normally have been in receipt of payments from the scheme, but a gratuity will be payable on death and in some cases pensions will be awarded to dependants.