asked the Minister for the Civil Service whether he will list the present 10 highest paid grades of civil servant, what their present salaries are, and on the present basis, what their retirement pensions will be; and assuming the present rates of inflation and indexed pension arrangements, what these persons' annual pensions will be on retirement and in 20 years time.
The information requested is given in the table below for the 10 highest paid general service grades. The table shows the maximum pensions and lump sums which can be earned after 40 years' reckonable service. In practice, only a minority qualify for such benefits. The average length of service for all retired civil servants is 23 years; information is not available on a grade by grade basis.transfer payments less contributions and other receipts, was £135·5 million in 1973–74, £160·3 million in 1974–75 and £253·0 million in 1975–76. In constant price terms—that is, at 1976–77 prices—the figures are £226 million, £228 million and £288 million respectively. On the same price basis, the present estimate for 1980–81 is £430 million. Including widows' and other dependants' pensions, and calculated on the basis of pensions in payment at 1st December when pensions are up-rated each year, the average amount of pension in payment was £476 a year in 1973–74, £564 a year in 1974–75 and £718 a year in 1975–76. At 1976–77 prices, the figures are £795 a year, £800 a year and £819 a year respectively. The estimate for 1980–81 assumes an average pension of about £900 a year in that year.