§ Mr. Andersonasked the Minister of Health what are the administrative difficulties in the way of amending Statutory Instrument, 1966, No. 1523, to allow married male employees of the National Health Service to exercise an option at the time of retirement waiving the right, after their death, of their widows to a widow's pension, where, as in a recent case submitted by the hon. Member for Monmouth, it is to the financial advantage of the employee so to do.
§ Mr. SnowI have explained to my hon. Friend why the present provision in the Superannuation Regulations should not be amended. But my right hon. Friend is willing to consider whether anything can be done to alleviate hardship which might be caused in some individual cases by the recent extension of eligibility for widows' pensions to wives of certain National Health Service employees who previously had no such entitlement, and I will write to my hon. Friend again.