As regards the Civil Service for which I am directly responsible, prior to 1974 female officers were required to resign on marriage and, depending on their service, received a marriage gratuity in lieu of any pension benefits. Following the abolition of the marriage bar, any officer appointed before 1974 has the option of resigning within two years of marriage and receiving a marriage gratuity, preserving benefits when she resigns, or of remaining in employment. Officers who received a marriage gratuity and who are subsequently reappointed in an established capacity in the civil service may refund the gratuity with compound interest and have all prior service aggregated with subsequent service for superannuation purposes. I have no plans to pay pensions other than on reckonable service which is the cornerstone of Public Service Pensions. Given the accrued liabilities to date we are working towards containing costs, not increasing them.