GOVERNORS PENSION ACT
W-31
GENERAL
1. Historical reason for omission of widows pension under GPA.
At one time general policy was for officers to progress through Colonial Service to Governorships. In such cases continuing widows cover was provided for under terms of previous territory WOPS, which the Governor could remain in following his transfer.
2. Because of this, little previous pressure, although this would
be better known by the FCO who are responsible for terms and conditions of appointment and who could have raised this issue if they considered it necessary at the time the new GPS was under discussion. (This should be checked on files).
See E/1 on OSA 77/81/03
NB. Australian Governors no longer within coverage of GPS.
3. It is up to the FCO to say if they wish a Governors' Widows Scheme
to be looked into but in view of the small number of pensionable Governors concerned (some of whom are covered by Colonial WOPS
in any event) and the fact that they are mostly not appointed very long before retirement age, a scheme would not seem to be financially viable.
Mr Hall's minute
para 3 Allocation
Gratuity
Yes
see paragraphs 3.17 of draft of
cheek against terms of Scheme
new GPS.
para 41)Yes - DS and HCS on secondment can continue to contribute to
PCSPS Widows Scheme. Those who transfer cannot, but if ultimately their service is aggregated and paid under PCSPS period of Governor's service would be covered by deduction of contributions from lump sum.
Case
(2)HMOCS Officers - see Mr Willby's pencil not an overseas scheine
of not overage.
(3)Ex-HMOCS officers similarly can continue to contribute to
previous overseas widows scheme up to age limit
(4)Ex-HMOCS officers, ?MOD officers, and politicians would be
appointed on contract and would themselves not be pensionable for this period. Any contract gratuity payable would reflect non-pensionability of service. It would be up to the Governor concerned to make provision for widow. In this respect he is in the same position as all other contract officers.
para 5
para 6
Sir R Sharples was killed on duty and his widow received an ex gratia award by analogy with the provision of Section 11 Injury benefits under PCSPS. This was done on the basis of an agreement that were a Colonial Governor is killed or injured on duty any benefits paid by the Colonial Government concerned may be topped-up extra-statutorily by HMG to produce aggregate benefits equivalent to those which would have been payable under the Injury Benefits Scheme to a civil servant of equivalent rank. Similar cases would therefore be dealt with on this basis.
It is up to FCO to say whether provision should be made and if so how (should such provision be financed.
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.