XN000022-1973-07-04 — Page 16

14

Wednesday, July 4, 1973

PROCEDURES FOR EX-GRATIA INCREASES TO PENSIONERS

Existing procedures of granting ex-gratia increases to government

pensioners are being examined with a view to speeding them up, the Colonial

Secretary, the Hon. Sir Hugh Norman-Walker, told the Legislative Council today.

The importance of increases to pensioners, he told council, was fully

appreciated but these inevitably took time because of the complexity of the

calculations and the large number of pensioners and serving officers.

He said the longstanding practice was to review pensions only after

a general salary award to the public service had been made, and to arrange for

the payment of any approved ex-gratia increases to pensioners after action on

behalf of serving officers had been completed.

At present there are about 100,000 serving officers and 10,000 pensioners.

Sir Hugh was replying to the Hon. G.M. Sayer who had asked what steps

could be taken to expedite the procedure for payment of an ex-gratia increase

to government pensioners after a salary revision for serving officers.

0

/15