§ 1. Sir E. Erringtonasked the Minister of Defence whether he will now give a date for the commencement of increases of pensions for widows of serving officers and men who do not come within the scope of previous announcements.
§ The Parliamentary and Financial Secretary to the Admiralty (Mr. C. Ian Orr-Ewing)I have been asked to reply.
My hon. Friend will no doubt have noted what my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer said yesterday on this subject.
§ Sir E. ErringtonMay I ask my hon. Friend whether he realises how unsatisfactory this position is? The matter has been under what is called "active consideration" for about six months. Can he assure me that, as this procedure will be by way of Royal Warrant, it will not necessarily await the legislation to which my right hon. Friend has referred?
§ Mr. Orr-EwingI do not think that I can add to what the Chancellor of the 168 Exchequer said yesterday, namely, that he hopes to put proposals before the House within a few weeks.
§ Mr. LiptonMay I have an assurance that consideration of the plight of elderly, and in some cases aged, widows of Regular soldiers, in particular, will not be bogged down in interminable negotiations with local authorities about quite different matters? This business has been going on for far too long.
§ Mr. Orr-EwingThe question of Service widows certainly will not be bogged down in long negotiations.