§ 58. Sir T. Beamishasked the Minister of State for Defence if an officer's widow whose husband died before 1st September 328W 1950 has a reserved right under the Royal Warrant of 1940 to a pension at twice the maximum rate of an "ordinary" Service widow's pension if her husband's death was due to wounds, injuries or disease directly attributable to the conditions of service; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. BuckA reserved right under the 1940 Royal Warrant would be at 1940 rates; there is no general reserved right to an attributable pension at double the rate of an occupational pension under subsequent codes. Pensions increase provisions exclude pensions paid in respect of death or injury attributable to service which are uprated separately when Department of Health and Social Security benefits are reviewed, and rates of war widows' pension have increased so substantially since 1940 that the question of reserved rights does not have practical relevance.
§ Mr. Loveridgeasked the Minister of State for Defence what is the number, and the proportion, of those killed on active service with the Army in Northern Ireland whose dependants have been able to get Army pensions.
§ Mr. BlakerTwelve—about 8 per cent. of those killed—had sufficient service to qualify for an award under the Forces family pension scheme. These awards are additional to the war widows' or dependants' pensions which have been awarded by the Department of Health and Social Security.