75.
asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer the total amount of civil, judicial and hereditary pensions for the years 1936 and 1939, respectively?
As the answer contains a number of figures, I will, with the hon. Member's permission, circulate it in the Official Report.
In view of the task undertaken by this country and the sacrifices now being made by other sections of the community, do the Government contemplate early legislation to try and effect some saving in this respect, particularly in regard to pensions over £1,000?
I can only read the answer which I gave to the hon. Member on a former occasion; that is, that we must have regard to what has been enacted by Acts of Parliament.
Surely at a time when all sections of the community are being asked to make sacrifices the Government should take steps to deal with this particular section of the community?
Has not the House of Commons passed Acts of Parliament to reduce allowances to the unemployed?
Following is the answer:
I assume that by "civil pension" the hon. Member means "civil service pension." The figures for which he asks are as follow:
| 1936 | £ | s. | d. |
| Civil Service Pensions | 6,971,798 | 0 | 0 |
| Judicial Pensions | 118,369 | 14 | 8 |
| Hereditary Pensions | 5,000 | 0 | 0 |
| Total | £7,095,167 | 14 | 8 |
| 1939 | £ | s. | d. |
| Civil Service Pensions (estimated) | 7,926,808 | 0 | 0 |
| Judicial Pensions | 123,833 | 17 | 4 |
| Hereditary Pensions | 5,000 | 0 | 0 |
| Total | £8,055,641 | 17 | 4 |
Figures as to the actual expenditure on Civil Service pensions in 1939 are not yet available, those given represent the provision made in Estimates. Only one hereditary pension was payable in each of the two years.