PENSIONS: POLITICAL. In Great Britain, by the Politi cal Offices Pensions Act, 1869, pensions were instituted for those who had held political office. For the purposes of the act political offices were divided into three classes : (I) those with a yearly salary of not less than 15,000; (2) those with a salary of less than is,000 and not less than 12,000; (3) those with a salary of less than 12,000 and more than 11,coo. For service in these offices there may be awarded pensions for life in the following scale: (I) a first class pension not exceeding 12,000 a year, in respect of not less than four years' service or its equivalent, in an office of the first class; (2) a second class pension not exceeding 11,200, in respect of service of not less than six years or its equivalent, in an office of the second class; (3) a third class pension not ex ceeding 1800 a year, in respect of service of not less than ten years in an office of the third class.
The service need not be continuous, and the act makes pro vision for counting service in lower classes as a qualification for pension in a higher class. These pensions are limited in number
to twelve, but a holder must not receive any other pension out of the public revenue ; if so, he must inform the Treasury and sur render it if it exceeds his political pension, or if under he must deduct the amount. He may, however, hold office while a pen sioner, but the pension is not payable during the time he holds office. To obtain a political pension, the applicant must file a declaration stating the grounds upon which he claims it and that his income from other sources is not sufficient to maintain his station in life. The act states that not more than one pension can be granted in the same year.
It should be added that the act has fallen into abeyance, and in 1928 no such pensions were being paid. The last recipient was Lord Chaplin, who died in 1923. Lord George Hamilton relin quished his pension in the same year.