§ 48. Mr. E. Johnsonasked the Secretary of State for War how much pension, other than her own pension, a general's widow who lost her husband on 3rd November, 1958, receives for one child; and how much she would receive for her child if her husband had died the next day, assuming in both cases that the officer had retired after maximum service.
§ Mr. ProfumoNo general's or lieutenant-general's widow who lost her husband before 4th November, 1958, is receiving a pension for a child. One major-general's widow who lost her husband 940 before that date is receiving a pension of £41 for a child. A general officer's widow who lost her husband after 3rd November, 1958, would receive, for each child, one-ninth of her husband's retired pay, and that amount would depend on when he retired and what his rank was.
§ Mr. JohnsonDoes not that Answer indicate the extremely unsatisfactory position in regard to widows who lost their husbands before 1958? Is my right hon. Friend aware that it simply is not good enough to go on telling us that it is impossible to make a distinction between those widowed before that date and those widowed afterwards?
§ Mr. ProfumoI do not think that it would be useful for me to add anything to what I said in the debate on Armed Forces pensions on 20th December last year, when I went into this question as thoroughly as possible.
§ Mr. JohnsonWhat my right hon. Friend said on that occasion was completely unsatisfactory. With respect to him, it would be most useful if he would at least attempt to add something to what he said on that occasion.
§ Mr. ProfumoI am sorry if my hon. Friend found it unsatisfactory, but I cannot at this moment add to what I said then.