2. Mr. Heathcote Amoryasked the Minister of Pensions why the widow of 236887 C.P.O. Louis Lake, late R.N., who died of his pensionable disability on 14th March, 1938, has had her claim for a widow's pension rejected, Ministry of Pensions reference No. 8/N/1946.
§ Mr. Wilfred PalingWhen it was decided that the widow of a man who died as a result of war service should be eligible for pension although the marriage took place after the disability was sustained, it was explained that the arrangement would apply to deaths occurring from 3rd September, 1939, onwards, but that any further measure of retrospection was not possible. In the case in question, the marriage took place after discharge, and the pensioner died early in 1938.
Mr. AmoryDoes the Minister consider it fair that widows of men disabled in previous wars should be worse off than those of the last war, particularly as, being older, their need is often greater? Is he satisfied that the present position should continue?
§ Mr. PalingWe saw this difficulty when this was given, and we discussed it, and decided that we could only go back to the beginning of the last war. [HON. MEMBERS: "Why?"] It was considered administratively impossible to go back nearly 30 years.