Derek McDowell (Labour)

Subsection (2) deals with the Permanent Defence Force. However, when discussing section 8 of the Bill the Minister of State indicated that arrangements for the Defence Forces were still under negotiation and consideration by the Minister for Defence. However, there is a provision in section 10 that specifically provides for a pensionable age from 50 years. Is the matter still under negotiation and discussion? Why has the Minister for Finance chosen to make a specific provision in section 10 to deal with the Permanent Defence Force?

Subsection (6)(c) allows any Minister in the future to ignore the provisions of this Act and to reach agreement to pay pensions earlier should they choose to do so under any scheme breached or negotiated after 1 April 2004. It is not necessarily making a nonsense of the Bill but it provides for the Bill to be set aside as part of some partnership arrangement or pensions scheme that may be negotiated in the future. One wonders what are we doing when this Bill may be entirely abrogated by industrial relations processes within the Civil Service.