§ 27. Mr. E. Johnsonasked the Minister of Defence how many ratings and other ranks of the three armed Services are in receipt of Service pensions; how many widows of ratings and other ranks receive ordinary Service widows' pensions; and bow many widows of ratings and other ranks receive no Service widows' pensions at all.
§ Mr. ThorneycroftAs the Answer consists of a table of figures I will, with permission, circulate it in the OFFICIAL REPORT.
§ Mr. JohnsonMay I ask my right hon. Friend whether that information will contain figures showing the number of widows who do not get pensions?
§ Mr. ThorneycroftI will try to ensure that it does, and if not I will have the information inserted.
§ Dr. KingWill the Minister consider seriously the debate on Service men's pensions and the Royal Warrant which took place just before the Christmas Recess with a view to remedying the hardship suffered by some widows of Service men?
§ Mr. ThorneycroftI have studied that debate and will certainly give it consideration.
§ The details are as follows:
| — | Royal Navy and Royal Marines | Army | Royal Air Force |
| Number of ratings and other ranks in receipt of ser vice pensions | 61,846* | 79,342* | 14,603 |
| Number of widows of ratings and other ranks in receipt of ordinary service widows pensions | 362* | 2,223* | 651 |
| The number of widows of ratings/other ranks who receive no service widows' pensions at all is not known. | |||
| * These figures cover cases where the rating/ other rank has or had been commissioned but opted for ratings' rate of pension, this being advantageous. |