HL Deb 13 June 1973 vol 343 cc690-2

2.55 p.m.

LORD FRASER OF LONSDALE

My Lords, I beg leave to ask the Question which stands in my name on the Order Paper.

The Question was as follows:

To ask Her Majesty's Government whether, when the annual review of war pensions take place in the autumn, in implementation of the undertaking to maintain and if possible improve the position of the war pensioner and his dependants, they will consider adjusting the wife's allowance from 50p per week—which has remained unaltered for over 53 years—to a figure which bears a more reasonable relation to the present value of money.

THE MINISTER OF STATE, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND SOCIAL SECURITY (LORD ABERDARE)

No, my Lords. The increase of 50p for a wife paid with 100 per cent. disablement pension, and pro rata for lower assessments, dates from an era before modern social security provisions were introduced, and has long been regarded as obsolete. The unemployable war pensioner receives increases for his wife and children at the rates equivalent to invalidity pension under the social security scheme, and war pensioners who receive social security benefits such as sickness benefit are entitled to the appropriate dependency increases. These rates go up substantially in October, as of course will the war pensions themselves and all the supplementary allowances associated with disablement which are paid under the war pensions scheme.

LORD FRASER OF LONSDALE

My Lords, while the net take-home money which the severely disabled men receive at the end of a week is not ungenerous, and all Governments are to be thanked for this, does my noble friend realise that his opening words, "No, my Lords," will be grievously disappointing? These women cannot be left with 50p after;70 years. They have looked after their severely disabled men all this time, and as widows or as wives are worth very much more than that. Will my noble friend ask the Ministers concerned in another place to think again when they review this matter in the autumn?

LORD ABERDARE

My Lords, I think I am right in saying that most of the ex-Servicemen's organisations have accepted that in the context of modern social security these allowances are obsolescent and it is the more important dependancy allowances which are made under the social security scheme, where, for example, a wife would receive a dependency allowance increase of £4.15 and £2.10 for the first child. These are the important things which help a war pensioner when he is retired, sick or unemployed.

I might also mention to my noble friend that the ex-Servicemen's organisations have wholeheartedly welcomed the decision which we made, that from October next this special allowance will be paid in full with National Insurance dependancy benefits, so there will be no set-off of the one against the other.

LORD MAYBRAY-KING

My Lords, while supporting all that the noble Lord, Lord Fraser of Lonsdale, has said, and congratulating the noble Lord, Lord Aberdare, and his Government on what they are doing for the ex-Servicemen, may I ask whether the noble Lord is aware that all the ex-Servicemen's associations give a very high place to the need to improve the pensions of the widows of ex-Servicemen, and will he bear that in mind when the review takes place?

LORD FRASER OF LONSDALE

My Lords, before the noble Lord, Lord Aberdare, answers that question, he says that the allowance of 50p allotted 50 years ago is obsolete: but these women are not obsolete; they are still looking after the disabled men. Will he ask the Ministers in another place to think about this iniquitously low sum? Is he also aware that that does not in the least mean that I am denigrating what Governments of all Parties have tried to do for ex-Servicemen? On the whole, they have done well.

LORD ABERDARE

My Lords, I am grateful to my noble friend for that tribute to all Governments. We certainly believe that our record is very good in that respect. But so far as his point about the wife is concerned, I can only explain to him that this 50p is a relic of the past and that we prefer to spend the money that is available on the much more effective allowance, which is that which the pensioner receives for his wife when he is out of work, sick or retired. That allowance will be going up in October and that will bring benefit to the war pensioner. I shall certainly take note of what the noble Lord said about widows. It is another question, but shall draw it to the attention of my right honourable friend.