§ 30. Dr. Kingasked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance if he will state the principal considerations applied by his Department in awarding war widows' pensions; and, in particular, what regard is given to the period of nursing care and attention given by a widow to a severely disabled pensioner under circumstances which may have precluded the pensioner and his widow from making provision for their future.
§ Mr. Boyd-CarpenterMy Department has to apply the provisions of the Royal Warrants and other instruments relating to war widows pensions, the principal requirement being a causal connection between the husband's service and his death. Cases where a severely disabled pensioner has been under nursing care and attention are gone into very sympathetically and with particular care to discover, if possible, evidence of such a connection, and the benefit of any reasonable doubt is of course given to the widow.
§ Dr. KingIs not there a case for looking again at the Royal Warrant as it affects widows' pensions, especially in the case of the 100 per cent. disabled man? Is the Minister aware that the widow of such a man has usually cared for him for the whole of their life together? Since he recognises the principle of my suggestion in the comfort allowance which he gives for constant 996 attendance upon the 100 per cent. disabled man, will he not consider that, whatever may be the cause of death of such a man, his wife has a right to be considered eligible for a pension in view of the service she will have rendered during the whole of her married life in looking after her husband and the fact that she will have had no time to make any provision for her widowhood?
§ Mr. Boyd-CarpenterIn the war service instruments it would be a very serious thing to break the connection between the war pension and war service. As the hon. Member knows, it is not a question of leaving such a widow without any help. The question at issue is whether a widow whose husband has died in circumstances entirely unconnected with his service should be given the priority and the preferential treatment which this House has always insisted on for war pensioners. To break that causal connection might seriously undermine that preference.
§ 32. Mr. L. M. Leverasked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance if he will state the numbers of 1914–18 war pensioners who died during the last twelve months, the numbers of their widows who applied for or who were invited to apply for war widow's pensions, and the number of such applications granted.
§ Mr. Boyd-CarpenterDuring the twelve months ended 31st March, 1961, the number of 1914–18 war disablement pensioners who died was 12,763, of whom 7,728 left widows. I regret that I have no figures of claims to, or invitations to claim, war widows' pension relating precisely to these deaths, but in the same period 1,983 widows of 1914–18 war disablement pensioners claimed, and 596 were awarded, a war widows' pension.
§ Mr. LeverDoes not the Minister agree that the number of cases in which the award has been made forms a very small proportion of the total, and that these matters ought to be more publicised and more fully investigated?
§ Mr. Boyd-CarpenterI do not think that it is a small proportion when we remember that we are talking of people who, at the least, have up to their deaths lived for about forty-three years after 997 suffering their injury. In those circumstances, it is in the nature of things likely that in a good many cases death will come from a non-war cause, and I do not find the figures surprising.
§ Mr. LeverWill the Minister go into this matter and let us have a more detailed report of the proportion in relation to the total number who died?
§ Mr. Boyd-CarpenterI will answer any Question the hon. Member puts down. I keep a very close eye on this situation, on which there is understandable feeling in many quarters, but, in reply to the hon. Member's question, I cannot do more than say that I will answer any further one.
§ 33. Mr. L. M. Leverasked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance, in view of the widespread dissatisfaction with the present pension provision for war widows, despite the increase which came into effect last April, in relation to present-day standards, what proposals he has for giving further assistance to war widows and, in particular, for eliminating the hardships which a widow suffers immediately following the death of a seriously disabled husband.
§ Mr. Boyd-CarpenterMy information is that the new rates introduced in April have been very well received. They are, of course, the highest ever provided. The increase of the basic rate to 76s. a week for widows of private soldiers and equivalent ranks has raised them further above the level of widows' pensions provided under the social service schemes generally, and, in addition, there are the special allowances payable only to war widows. If, however, the hon. Member has any evidence of hardship in any particular case, I should be very glad to consider it.
§ Mr. LeverIs the Minister aware that we appreciate his constant interest in these matters? Is he also aware that we will take an opportunity, in the very near future, of giving him chapter and verse for the dissatisfaction felt about the position of these war widows? I am sure that he will then desire to eliminate this dissatisfaction.
§ Mr. Boyd-CarpenterThis is a matter which I shall always be happy to discuss.