§ 67. Commander SOUTHBYasked the Minister of Health if he is aware that Mrs. Beckett, of 3, Jubilee Road, Cheam, Surrey, who is in receipt of a pension by reason of her late husband's death due to War service, has been debarred from receiving a widow's pension under the Widows', Orphans', and Old Age Contributory Pensions Act, for which she should be eligible by reason of her late husband's cash contributions to the fund; and whether he will take steps to obtain for her the return of the sum of money so contributed by her late husband, observing that this money was paid into the fund in order to obtain a certain benefit for the contributor's wife in the event of his death?
§ Mr. GREENWOODI would point out that the Contributory Pensions Act, 1925, provides that a pension under the Act is not payable to any person to whom a service dependants pension is payable but that where the service dependants pension is less than the pension which would have been payable under the Act, the pensions fund shall make up the difference. Under this provision Mrs. Beckett's service dependants pension has been increased by 2s. a week, payable out of the Pensions Fund. She will also, as a result of her late husband's insurance, be entitled, on attaining 70, to the old age pension at 10s. a week without having to satisfy the means test imposed by the Old Age Pensions Acts, 1908 to 1924.
§ 65. Mr. SHAKESPEAREasked the Minister of Health whether he will tighten up the procedure under which legal decisions are taken on certain widows' pension claims?
§ Mr. GREENWOODI am not clear what legal decisions the hon. Member has in mind. If, however, he will give me more precise information I will look into the matter.