4. Mr. R. C. Mitchellasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what were the results of his meeting with a deputation from the National Association of Widows relating to tax allowances for widows; and if he will make a statement.
§ Dr. GilbertOn 26th June I met a deputation from the National Association of Widows who were introduced by my hon. Friend the Member for Walsall, South (Mr. George). We had a detailed and comprehensive discussion of a number of taxation questions affecting 1528 widows. I undertook to write to my hon. Friend in more detail about some of these issues and this I have now done.
Mr. MitchellIs my hon. Friend aware that our taxation system is still unfair to large numbers of widows, particularly working widows, and that it does not take into account the extra expenses, such as the upkeep of homes, and so on, that many widows have?
§ Dr. GilbertI am well aware that widows have serious economic burdens to carry. Those burdens are common not only to widows but to many single people running homes on their own. It is because of this that the single person's allowance is well over half that of the married person's allowance.
§ Mr. RidsdaleWill the hon. Gentleman stop being so complacent about this matter? Does he not realise that the widow is worse off today than she was in June 1973, because of the present taxation system? If he wishes, I can send him details to show that.
§ Dr. GilbertThat was certainly not the burden of the representations made to me by the National Association of Widows, which is very grateful for the considerable increase in pensions that this Government are giving to widows.