§ 37. Mr. Shurmerasked the Under-Secretary of State for Air if he is aware that wives of airmen missing but presumed dead, in the Far East, but whose deaths cannot yet be definitely decided, are reduced from Service allowance rate of pay to widow's pension; and if he will take steps to remedy this.
§ Mr. StracheyDuring the war period, allowances to families of married officers and airmen posted as missing in the Far 1240 East were continued in issue as a special measure beyond the normal period of six months. There were then grounds for hope that a majority of those still missing might subsequently be found to be prisoners of war. I am very much afraid that we can no longer hope that many of the men still missing are alive. Dependants of officers and airmen missing in the Far East were, therefore, given three months' notice of cessation of the family allowances, and the substitution of a temporary allowance at the pension rate.
§ Mr. ShurmerIs the Under-Secretary aware of the hardship which is caused to these women who, to all intents and purposes, according to the Ministry, are still married women? Is he further aware that I have a case here where a woman's allowance has dropped from £3 2s. 6d. to 25s. per week? Is not any action being taken in the matter, because either they are widows or they are not?
§ Mr. StracheyI recognise the difficulty of the situation, but it is a question of determining the time during which a man has been missing before we can assume death.