asked the Prime Minister if he will grant a Return showing the officials in each Department., who, in addition to their salary, are in receipt of pensions, giving in each case the amount of the salary and the pension, and the source of the latter?

The pensions of civil pensioners re-employed in the Government service ate, under Section 20 of the Superannuation Act, 1834, either suspended or adjusted so that the salary and pension of a civil servant re-employed shall not exceed the amount of his former pay. No deduction is made from the service or disability pension of ex-members of the army, Navy or Air Force employed in a civil capacity; but, subject to considerations of efficiency, preference is given as regards temporary employment to ex-service personnel not in possession of private means. In computing private means, account is taken of service pensions, but not of disability pensions. It is the policy of the Government to avoid all unnecessary expenditure in administration, and I regret that I do not see my way to agree to the considerable expenditure that would be involved in the preparation of a comprehensive return on the lines suggested.

Can the right hon. Gentleman say whether the Prime Minister is aware that there are large numbers of officials in the War Office, Admiralty and Air Ministry who are in receipt of large salaries and also large Pensions, and whether he will consider it, advisable to use the pruning knife severely in these particular Departments

If the hon. Member will give me particulars of cases, I will cause inquiry to be made, but at the moment the great expenditure involved in the preparation of this very large return would not be justified.

Will the Prime Minister give any specific reason to the House why a number of these officials who are in receipt of large pensions should not adopt the precedent set by Lord Haldane

That question does not arise.