§ 42. Viscountess ASTORasked the Home Secretary whether he is aware of the urgent need of an alteration in the marriage laws, to make it legal for a woman to marry her deceased husband's brother; and whether, in view of the great number of cases at the present time in which a man is anxious to marry the widow of a brother killed in the War and to care for her children, the Government will introduce the necessary legislation to equalise the treatment of the sexes by removing the barrier to these marriages, as has already been done in the parallel case of marriage with a deceased wife's sister?
§ The UNDER-SECRETARY of STATE for the HOME OFFICE (Major Baird)My right hon. Friend has no information to show that this question is specially urgent, and he fears that he cannot under- 238 take to introduce legislation on the subject.
§ Viscountess ASTORMay I supply to the right hon. Gentleman plenty of information to show that this reform really is desirable?
§ Major BAIRDMy right hon. Friend will be pleased to consider any information that the hon. Member may forward.