§ 32. Sir THOMAS HENDERSONasked the Under-Secretary of State for War whether he is aware that great hardship is caused to widows of long-service Army pensioners whose husbands elected to receive their pensions on discharge in periodic payments rather than in a lump sum, and died within a short period leaving their families without. means of support; and whether, in view of these circumstances, in order to tide them over a difficult period, he will agree to pay to the widows of men who die within 12 months of their discharge a reasonable percentage of the amount which the men would have received bad they elected to take a lump sum?
The FINANCIAL SECRETARY to the WAR OFFICE (Mr. Gwynne)The hon. Member is mistaken in thinking that a soldier who is entitled on discharge to a long service pension can elect to receive a lump sum in lieu thereof. In certain circumstances permission may be granted to a pensioner to commute a certain portion of his pension, subject to his passing a satisfactory medical examination, but 239 this could not be held to entitle the widow of a pensioner to claim a lump sum after the death of her husband for a pension which, had he lived, might have been commuted.