§ 27. Mr. Liptonasked the Minister Pensions and National Insurance, what further investigations he is now making into pensions anomalies.
§ Mr. LiptonDoes this mean that there will be no more changes until after the General Election, so that until then nothing will be done about abolishing the earnings rule altogether and doing something for the 10s. widow, or narrowing the inexcusable gap between the previous code of pension and the latest code of pension for ex-Service men and their widows? Those are the three things that require absolute priority. Is nothing going to be done about them until after the election?
§ Mr. WoodThe hon. Gentleman has mentioned, among other things, the 10s. widow. He also mentions in his Question "pensions anomalies". The 10s. widow is a pension anomaly. I am sure he would not like me to remove it by removing the 10s. pension from the widows.
§ Mrs. EmmetDoes my right hon. Friend not realise how extraordinarily difficult it is to explain these nuances to the widow herself? We understand how this situation has grown up, but I hope my right hon. Friend appreciates that once a person becomes a widow it makes very little difference to her how her husband died, in view of the fact that she has to face the bringing up of her children?
§ Mr. WoodI think it is a misconception to think that every difference in the treatment of widows is an anomaly. For instance, the industrial injuries and war pensions schemes were deliberately and by the wish of this House made preferential schemes in favour of those widows.