§ 59. Sir Charles Edwardsasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will consider making up the income of dependants of men who lost their lives in the Great War to what it was when the pension was put on; if he is aware that widows of officers receive from £50 to £100 per annum less because of higher taxation; and whether, seeing the cost of living is so much higher, he will give some consideration to this.
§ Sir J. AndersonNo, Sir. The rates of pension payable to widows and dependants of members of the Forces killed in the Great War were fixed in relation to a cost of living index figure higher than that now prevailing. I could not contemplate increasing such rates for the purpose of offsetting the effect of the increased taxation required for the prosecution of the present war.