Orders of the Day — Pensions (Increase) Bill

Part of the debate – in the House of Commons at 12:00 am on 28 January 1969.

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Photo of Dr Horace King Dr Horace King , Southampton, Itchen 12:00, 28 January 1969

This is an old difficulty. Every time we have a Bill on public service pensions hon. Members wish to discuss the pensions of some groups of pensioners outwith its scope. The types of pension covered by this Bill are laid down in the Schedules at the end of it and in previous public service pensions Acts. On occasions such as this, hon. Members have sought to raise the question of the pensions of ex-Servicemen, railway superannuitants and pensioners from the nationalised industries.

I have looked at all the Rulings—I suffered from some of them myself when I was a back bencher. I chose the most generous I could find. On 23rd February, 1956, Mr. Deputy Speaker Sir Rhys Hopkin Morris ruled: The hon. Member is in order in referring to this matter, but I do not think he would be in order in carrying it too far."—[OFFICIAL REPORT, 23rd February, 1956; Vol. 549, c. 658.] Therefore, incidental references may be made to pensioners not covered by this Bill; but they must be incidental.