TNAG-0125-FCO40-161-Labour-force-working-conditions-1969 — Page 139

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955.

Oral Answers,

9 JUNE 1969

The Paymaster-General (Mrs. Judith Hart): A civil servant who is retired early and takes another job in the Civil Service at a lower salary may draw sufficient of any pension due to him to raise his in- come by way of salary plus pension to the level of the salary he was receiving on his retirement. He may refuse re- employment in a lower-paid job without loss of pension. I consider these to be satisfactory terms.

Mr. Worsley: Does the right hon, Lady agree that there is some discontent with these provisions in the Civil Service and that it is important that people should be encouraged to do this without any feeling of loss of status?

Mrs. Hart: The present arrangements are not unreasonable. However, as we look at the whole question of Civil Service superannuation in the course of the cur- rent review we shall be looking at this point in the light of recent circumstances.

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Mr. Luard: Does not my right hon. Friend agree that there is considerable disquiet in the Foreign Service as a result of the fact that many senior Foreign Service officials have had to be retired through no fault of their own but simply because of a contraction in the size of the Foreign Service and the considerable recruitment when they joined? Is it not important that everything possible should be done to provide suitable alternative employment for these people? -

Mrs. Hart: I entirely agree with my hon. Friend, but I do not think that the present pension arrangements are ary kind of deterrent to achieving this entirely sensible objective. But we are undertaking a review in the course of looking at the whole of the Civil Service superannuation arrangements and shall bear this point very much in mind.

we

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEAL NI

AFFAIRS

Hours of Work (I.L.O. Conventions) 49. Mr. Rankin asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether, since 1969 is the 50th anniversary of the founding of the Inter- national Labour Organisation, he will now ratify those International Labour Organisation conventions which relate to hours of, work.

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Oral Answers

956

The Under-Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (Mr. William Whitlock): It has been the policy of successive Governments only to ratify International Labour Conventions when our law and practice are in complete conformity with their provisions.'?

Mr. Rankin: Is my hon. Friend aware that many people regard that as simply an escape route from facing up to the real problem? Is it not disturbing that in a British colony today people should be working in service industries for 15, 16 or 17 hours a day at a time when we are celebrating this great anniversary? Will he not think about this matter again?

Mr. Whitlock: As I informed my 'hon. Friend on 12th May, the United King- dom, the Member State concerned, has not ratified the I.L.O. conventions which relate to hours of work; therefore, the question of applying those conventions to the dependent territories does not arise.

Malaysia (Military Assistancey

52. Mr. Biggs-Davison asked the Sec- retary of State for Foreign and Common- wealth Affairs what requests Her from Majesty's Government received Malaysia for military assistance in con- nection with the restoration of law and order after the recent disturbances; and what replies were given.

Mr. Whitlock: None, Sir.:

Mr. Biggs-Davison: Is it the case that no request for arms was made? Secondly, can the hon. Gentleman say whether the whole question of Commonwealth assis- tance, particularly against subversion, will be fully discussed at Canberra?

Mr. Whitlock: The Malaysian Govern- ment recently asked us if we would sup- ply some items of military equipment and we have told the Malaysian Govern- ment that we would be willing to supply the items requested subject to their being available and to there being an agreement on the method of payment.

Mr. Richard: Is it not very important that we should avoid giving any appear- 'ance of taking sides in this Malaysian problem, particularly having regard to the legitimate sensibilities of Singapore? Secondly, if there is to be any real and lasting settlement inside Malaysia, is it

DATE 9 June 935/456 784

RECEIVED IN REGISTRY No.51 116 JUN 1969

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