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Former Overseas Civil Servants (Pensions)

Volume 656: debated on Tuesday 27 March 1962

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32.

asked the Secretary for Technical Co-operation what is the average pension paid through the Crown Agents to the widows of pensioners of Her Majesty's Overseas Civil Service and former members of the Colonial Service who retired before any post-war salary increases were granted by the employing Governments.

The average pension granted before the first post-war salary increases paid through the Crown Agents to widows of Colonial Service officers who served under the Governments of dependent territories is £249. This figure represents basic pension only and does not take account of pensions increases awarded by the various Governments concerned. I regret that I am not in a position to supply an average figure in respect of widows' pensions paid by independent Commonwealth and foreign countries.

As the widow's pension stems from an unfunded compulsory payment by the late husband, does not my right hon. Friend think that this amount is fairly small, and does not he agree that within the average there are figures as low as £72 for the High Commission Territories, and as much as £400 in respect of service under more than one Government? Does not my right hon. Friend think it possible to balance out this payment in some way?

I accept much of what my hon. Friend has said. The figure I have given is the basic figure without the increase given in many cases. It still remains a fact that in some cases Governments have not given increases that the pensioners deserve.

33.

asked the Secretary for Technical Co-operation what is the average pension paid through the Crown Agents to pensioners of Her Majesty's Overseas Civil Service and former members of the Colonial Service who retired before any post-war salary increases were granted by the employing Governments.

The average basic pension paid through the Crown Agents to overseas service pensioners of dependent territories who retired before the first post-war salaries revision is £393. I regret that I am not in a position to give an average figure in respect of pensions paid by independent Commonwealth and foreign countries.

Does my right hon. Friend agree that within this figure the average for Brunei is as low as £73 whereas in North Borneo next door it is as much as £474? Is not this rather odd? Further, will he bear in mind, when any money is likely to be lent or given to countries such as Ghana or Ceylon, that they have made no effort at all to look after their ex-servants?

I agree that the average figure is most misleading, but it was my hon. Friend who chose to put the Question in this form. The latter part of his supplementary question raises wider implications, but I have noted his Motion on the Order Paper.

Is it not time that the Government looked afresh at the whole question of pensions paid to Overseas Civil Service pensioners in this country? Are not many of these pensions grossly inadequate now, and does not the right hon. Gentleman, as the Minister responsible for technical assistance, feel that he is embarrassed by the constant friction caused on these questions with the new Commonwealth countries?

I accept that there is a problem here, but, of course, there are advantages and disadvantages in the present system which has been an established part of pensions policy under many Governments for many years. It is the policy that overseas Governments who pay the salaries pay the pensions of those who retire.

How many times has my right hon. Friend been to the Chancellor of the Exchequer demanding that something be done for these people? How often must democracy make itself vocal on the matter before the Executive can act?

I can easily answer that. I have only just taken over responsibility for this matter, and the answer is, therefore, "None".

37.

INCREASES OF OVERSEAS SERVICE PENSIONS BASED ON £100 PENSION COMMENCING JANUARY, 1953
YearAden (a)B. Guiana (a)CyprusE.A.C.S.O. Kenya, Tanganyika Uganda, Zanzibar (a)GhanaHong Kong (a)Jamaica (a)
1953100100100100100100100
1954136150100129100100100
1955136150100129100100100
1956136150115129100100150
1957165150126129100100150
1958165150126142100116150
1959165150139142100116150
1960165150139142100144150
1961190150139142100144150
1962190150139142100144150

YearMalaya, Singapore (a)NigeriaN. Rhodesia (a)Nyasaland (a)Sierra LeoneSomaliaCeylon (b)
1953100100100100100100100
1954100100100115100100101
1955163105100115100100103
1956163105112122100100108
1957163105112122105110111
1958163105112122105110137
1959163105124132105110137
1960163118124132105110137
1961163118131132105110137
1962163118131132105123137

Notes

The tables show increases on a basic pension of £100 at 1st January, 1953.
For countries marked (a), the percentage increases for some larger pensions are smaller.
(b) The percentage increase varies according to the size of pension and status of the pensioner.

will give the percentage increases in pensions under the United Kingdom Pensions (Increase) Acts for overseas pensions, country by country and year by year, from 1953.

The pensions of retired members of the overseas services are not increasable under the United Kingdom Pensions (Increase) Acts.

Will my right hon. Friend publish in the OFFICIAL REPORT all the figures in the table which he sent to me? Further, after he has had a chance of studying them, when will he go to the Treasury?

I can arrange for those figures to be published. On the latter part of my hon. Friend's supplementary question, I want to give further consideration to this whole problem.

Following are the figures: