HC Deb 06 May 1943 vol 389 cc302-3
62. Mr. John Dugdale

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will take action to remove the hardship caused to blind persons who lose their pensions if their wives, responding to the call for more female labour in factories of national importance, go out to work leaving their husbands unattended?

Sir K. Wood

The conditions under which these pensions are.awarded are laid down by Statute. Entitlement to pension depends upon the amount of the claimant's yearly means, and the Act provides that, in calculating the means of a person who is one of a married couple living together in the same house, the means shall be taken to be half the joint means of the couple.

Mr. Dugdale

Does the Chancellor not agree that this does constitute in fact a particularly grave hardship, and will consider the possibility of making some alteration?

Sir K. Wood

The matter was very carefully considered when the Act was passed.