§ Mr. Willie W. Hamiltonasked the Lord Privy Seal, if he will publish in the Official Report a table showing what payments a Member of Parliament will receive on retirement in October 1987, assuming he has given 20, 30 and 35 years' service, respectively, and that his age on retirement is, respectively, 63, 65, 68 and 70 years.
§ Mr. BiffenThe following are the pensions Members of Parliament would receive if they retired on 1 October 1987:
Age: 63 years Service years 20 30 35 Retirement during lifetime of a Parliament: Actuarially reduced pension1 Male £ a year 5,467 8,090 9,401 Female £ a year 5,594 8,278 9,620 Ill-health retirement pension2 £ a year 7,088 10,139 11,664 At a General Election3 £ a year 6,357 9,407 10,932 1 Payable immediately — Pensions are not normally payable before age 65. However, Members who retire during the lifetime of a Parliament and are aged 50 years or more can choose to take their pension earlier at a reduced rate and thus receive an immediate pension. 2 Payable immediately—Members who retire under the age of 65 years and who qualify for an ill-health pension are entitled to an immediate pension at a higher level, compensating for the loss in years of service. 3 Payable immediately—A resettlement grant of up to £18,500 is also payable to any Member retiring at a general election who has not attained age 65 at the time of the Dissolution of Parliament (Resolution of the House of 19 July 1983). Additionally:
1. All Members have the option to commute a proportion of their pension in return for a tax-free lump sum in accordance with the 629W provisions of the Parliamentary Pensions (Maximum and Abated Pensions and Pension Commutation) Order 1984 (S.I. 1984 No. 1909). The option to commute must he exercised either before the pension comes into payment, or no later than one month thereafter.
2. All Members leaving the House are entitled to claim for the reimbursement of expenses incurred in winding up their parliamentary duties, subject to a limit of one-sixth of the annual amount of the office, secretarial and research allowance currently in force.
630WMembers aged 65 years or over at the time of retirement (on 1 October 1987) would, whether they retired at a general election or during the lifetime of a Parliament, receive the same immediate pension as follows:
Age 65, 68, 70 years Service years £ a year 20 6,357 30 9,407 35 10,932