HC Deb 11 December 1941 vol 376 cc1715-6W
Mr. Ness Edwards

asked the Minister of Health whether he has considered the condition of widows and orphans who are in receipt of contributory pensions, and whether he is prepared to consider in- cluding them in those categories which are entitled to supplementary pensions; and whether he has any statement to make thereon?

Mr. E. Brown

The Old Age and Widows Pensions Act, 1940, provides that in order to be eligible for a supplementary pension a widow pensioner must have attained the age of 60, this being also the minimum age at which a woman car receive an old age pension. The range within which supplementary pensions should be payable was. carefully considered when this legislation was before Parliament and it is not proposed to introduce further legislation.