§ 138. Mr. Mikardoasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what would be the estimated annual cost of giving pensions to all police widows at the minimum rates provided in the Police Pension Regulations, 1949, as amended.
§ Sir D. Maxwell FyfeThe Police Pensions Regulations, 1949, as amended, provide for the payment of flat-rate police widow's ordinary pensions of 19s. 2d., 23s. and 26s. 10d. a week for the widows of officers of ranks below inspector, inspector and above inspector respectively. The estimated additional cost of raising to these rates pensions previously awarded at lower rates is £65,000 per annum.
The Police Pensions Regulations also provide for the payment at the discretion of police authorities of supplementary pensions of 26s. or 30s. a week to certain widows who do not qualify for National Insurance benefit. The estimated additional cost of paying supplementary pensions at these rates to police widows who 194W now have their pensions supplemented by smaller amounts under earlier Regulations is £250,000 per annum. The total estimated additional cost is therefore £315,000 per annum.