§ 15. Mr. HICKSasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether all entrants to the police force arc insured for widows' and orphans' pensions under Section 15 of the Widows', Orphans', and Old Age Contributory Pensions Act, 1925; and will he give full particulars of the benefits under the Police Pension Act, especially for the first five years of service?
§ The SECRETARY of STATE for the HOME DEPARTMENT (Sir John Gilmour)No, Sir: all police forces have been excepted by the Minister of Health from compulsory insurance under the Act, on the ground that the provisions of the Police Pensions Act, 1921, are on the whole not less favourable than those under the Act of 1925. I cannot give the whole of the provisions of the Act of 1921 within the compass of this answer, but a constable during his first five years of service receives a pension if he is incapacitated by injury on duty without his own default, and if he dies from such an injury his widow receives a pension and his children receive allowances until they are 16. If he is incapacitated otherwise than by injury on duty, he receives a gratuity, and if he dies while in the force, although not as a result of such an injury, his widow receives a gratuity and his children receive allowances until they are 16.
§ Mr. HICKSAm I to understand that the widow is covered by the provisions of the National Health Insurance Act in the first two years, or that, subsequently to the five years, she is covered by the Police Pensions Act, so far as pension is concerned? Is the widow covered either by the one Act or the other?
§ Sir J. GILMOURIf, when the hon. Gentleman sees the answer I have given, he finds that it does not cover all the points on which he requires information, perhaps he will put down another question.