21. Mr. R. C. Mitchellasked the Secretary of State for Education and Science it he will amend the regulations regarding teachers' superannuation to give widows with young children the same rights as married women in relation to qualifying service for pension.
§ Mr. RedheadMy right hon. Friend will consider this matter in preparing the teachers' superannuation regulations under the Teachers Superannuation Act, 1965.
Mr. MitchellI thank my hon. Friend for that reply. Can he indicate when this consideration will take place?
§ Mr. RedheadThe regulations are of complicated character and are bound to take some months to prepare, but it is hoped that they will be in force by April next.
§ 34. Mr. Berryasked the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether he will introduce legislation to extend the pension scheme for teachers' widows to cover widows of teachers who died before the passing of the Teachers' Superannuation Act, 1965.
§ Mr. RedheadNo, Sir. Further retrospection would adversely affect the Teachers' Family Benefits Fund, which will be financed entirely by teachers' contributions.
§ Mr. BerryWould the Minister not agree that there are some elderly teachers' widows who are suffering greatly through not being included? Does his answer tally with the Labour Party manifesto which said that they would strive to alleviate poverty among old people?
§ Mr. RedheadI think that the hon. Gentleman should take note of the fact that the Act introduced last year was a substantial improvement on the situation which had previously existed. Some line had to be drawn, and there are always problems when one draws lines when dealing with retrospective legislation.