§ 31. Mr. E. Johnsonasked the Secretary of State for War how much pension an Army captain's widow with one child who lost her husband on 3rd November, 1958, receives; and how much she would receive if her husband had retired on the 1962 Code and died today, assuming in both cases that the widow is 50 years old and the husband had completed maximum service.
§ Mr. Ramsden£183 18s. 0d. a year and £322 4s. 0d. a year respectively.
§ Mr. JohnsonDoes my hon. Friend think it right or fair that one of two such widows, both of the same age and 77 both of whose husbands had the same kind of service, should receive a pension nearly twice as big as that of the other widow?
§ Mr. RamsdenIt is very difficult to get this question into perspective by She process of question and answer. We had a debate covering all these matters shortly before Christmas. I would refer my hon. Friend to what my right hon. Friend said on this question in his speech during that debate.
§ Dame Irene WardMost unsatisfactory.
§ Mr. JohnsonIs my hon. Friend aware that what my right hon. Friend said on that occasion was wholly unsatisfactory and that the older widows have not been fairly treated?
§ Mr. RamsdenHaving gone into this with great care, as my hon. Friends know, I am afraid we still can find no basis on which to distinguish between those who became widows before 1958 and any other category of Service pension.