HC Deb 04 February 1943 vol 386 cc1036-7
28. Mr. Wootton-Davies

asked the Minister of Health the allowance payable to the widow of a merchant seaman with six children under the age of 10 and to the widow of a war worker, dead from overstrain, with a similar number of children, respectively; and how these payments compare with the pension of a widow of a private in the Army?

Mr. E. Brown

The widow's pension and children allowances payable under the Widows', Orphans' and Old Age Contributory Pensions Acts to widows of insured men falling within any of the three categories and having the number of children mentioned by my hon. Friend would amount to 30s. a week. The widow of a private in the Army or of a man of corresponding rank in the Mercantile Marine would, however, have an alternative title to pension and allowances of 63s. 6d. in any case in which the circumstances of the husband's death enabled an award to be made under the Mercantile Marine Scheme or the Royal Warrant.

Mr. Wootton-Davies

Does not the right hon. Gentleman consider that there is far too wide a range between these two cases?

Mr. Brown

That is a much wider issue than is covered by my own Departmental responsibility.

Mr. George Griffiths

Does not the right hon. Gentleman think he should at least compete with the Secretary of State for War to see that the widow and children of a man who has died from overstrain in producing munitions should have the same allowance as the widow of a private soldier? It is time the right hon. Gentleman woke up.

Mr. Brown

The issues concerned do not merely concern me, but my right hon. Friends the Minister of Pensions, the Chancellor of the Exchequer and other Ministers.