TNAG-0205-FCO40-241-Pensions-policy-1970 — Page 122

THE NEW HEBRIDES

CONFIDENTIAL

APPENDIX 9

2.

The Anglo French condominium of the New Hebrides was established in 1906. The administration of the territory, which on the British side comes under the jurisdiction of the High Commissioner for the Western Pacific, is undertaken by 3 distinct services, the British National Service, the French National Service and a joint Condominium Service.

The pension position of officers in the British National Service is covered by BSIP pensions legislation; that of the French National Service is not a British responsibility.

3. The Condominium Service is mainly staffed by locally recruited cfficers. of 273 in post on 1 August 1969, 196 were on permanent terms of service (in 1963 of 112 officers of European origin, 75 were French and 37 of British nationality). The salaries and conditions of service of the Condominium Service were investigated by a joint British/ French commission in July 1963 and a further salaries review was undertaken in 1967/68.

4. Since 1947 retirement benefits for the Condominium Service were provided by a Deferred Pay Scheme with the officer and the Condominium each paying contributions to a deferred pay fund.

5. The first pensions scheme for the Condominium Service is expected to be set up at or ebout the end of 1969 and is likely to come into force with effect from 1.1.1969. It is & contributory Scheme in which the officer will contribute 5% of basic salary, which will be paid into general revenus.

Benefits will fall to be paid from general revenue. Officers in post before 1.1.69 who are members of the existing Deferred Pay Scheme may opt to come into the scheme and can be allowed to buy into the scheme back-service of up to ten years.

6. There are differences from the usual scale of benefits in Overseas Ordinances in that the maximum pension is 75% of pensionable emoluments. There are high rates of dependants' pensions, and a built in commitment to review the rates of benefit where a salaries review shows a cumulative increase of 10% of salary from the time of the previous pensions review.

CONFIDENTIAL