Ill-Health Benefits - Non-attributable ill-health benefits
Armed Forces (Pensions and Compensation) Bill
9:45 am
Mr Desmond Swayne (New Forest West, Conservative)
My hon. Friend began on the strong point that the armed forces are different and need to be treated in a unique manner. In one sense, the Bill and the new scheme will, regrettably, continue to ensure that those in the armed forces are unique, in that they will be the only group who will not be able to secure a full two-thirds pension at the end of their careers. That is principally because of the cost of the early departure point.I asked whether the Minister could justify the fact that the members of the scheme have to pay for that, when it is almost wholly the result of the Government's own manpower planning and retention requirements; to draw people through when they are
approaching their 40th year. As that is largely an Army manning requirement, surely the scheme should pay for it, rather than the beneficiaries.