HC Deb 19 June 1951 vol 489 cc232-3
41. Mr. Alport

asked the Secretary of State for War what payments are now being made to wives of officers and other ranks who have been reported missing during operations in Korea.

Mr. Strachey

Provided that marriage allowance was in issue at the date of the casualty, the wives of officers reported missing receive marriage allowance plus two-sevenths of the officer's pay; the wives of other ranks continue to receive the marriage allowance and allotments in issue at the date of the casualty. The period during which these payments may continue is limited at present to 52 weeks from the date on which the relatives are notified of the casualty.

Mr. Alport

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that the payment of only two-sevenths of the pay in addition to the marriage allowance is causing considerable hardship amongst a number of the wives of officers who are missing, who have still to bear the expense of educating children, for which probably their husbands made special allowance out of their pay? Will the right hon. Gentleman reconsider this scale of allowances in order to prevent that hardship in the future?

Mr. Strachey

I see that there may be difficulties in Korea in view of the long periods in which the officer or man is missing and we do not know whether he has been killed or is a prisoner of war. If the hon. Member will give me examples, I should he glad to look into them.