asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what further attention has been given to the need of increasing pension rates for retired colonial civil servants and their dependants in view of the hardship now being experienced by many of them.

Colonial Governments were invited to revise their pension increase schemes to conform to the Pensions (Increase) Act, 1947, of this country, and most of them have done so. No further general increase is at present proposed.

Is my hon. Friend aware that there is still great hardship? Cannot some action be taken by which all the various Colonial Governments are brought into line to meet what is admittedly a very grave hardship?

Most of them have, and we are constantly making suggestions to those who have not come into line to do so.

Could the Under-Secretary say what percentage increase has been allowed?

Not without notice.