§ Mr. ChurchillTo ask the Lord President of the Council since when former Speakers of the House have been disentitled to the parliamentary pension to which they have contributed throughout their parliamentary careers in the calculation of their pension based upon 50 per cent. of final salary; and if he will take steps to ensure that present and future ex-Speakers receive their pension as Speaker in addition to their parliamentary contributory pension.
§ Mr. NewtonSpeakers, and Prime Ministers, were excluded from the parliamentary pension scheme from 1965, when the first pension scheme for Members was set up, until February 1991. Their contributions to the scheme were repaid to them, with interest, when they left office.
In its report No. 26, the Top Salaries Review Body recommended that Speakers and Prime Ministers should be able to join the parliamentary pension scheme but that the change should not be retrospective nor apply to past service. The Government have accepted the recommendation and, since February 1991, Speakers in office have the option to remain in the parliamentary pension scheme and to contribute, earning additional pension on their reduced parliamentary salary.