asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science from what date the proposed regulations governing the granting of added years for the pensions of teachers retiring per maturely will operate; and when they will be laid before the House.

When the processes of drafting and consultation are completed, the Government intend to make regulations retrospective to 1st April 1976. As in the case of all local government employees, the local authorities have been informed that they can anticipate the formal regulations and some are already doing so.