War Widows

HC Deb 20 June 1978 vol 952 cc176-9W

Mr. Wm. Ross

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will list in the Official Report the value of a war widow's pension for each rank in the Army, Royal Navy and Royal Air Force, as at 1st April 1950, 1st April 1960, 1st April 1970, and 1st April 1978; and show for comparison the cost of living index at those dates taking the index and the value of the £sterling as 100 at 1st April 1950, and assuming that the widow in each case had two children of 11 years and seven years of age.

Mr. Orme,

pursuant to his reply [Official Report, 12th June 1978; Vol. 951, c. 330], gave the following answer:

The following is the information requested based on the standard rates of war widow's pension. The ranks given are those for the Army, but equivalent

TABLE 1—OFFICERS
Rank	Year (April)	Actual annual rate of war widows' pension including increase for 2 children	Rate in col. (3) in terms of April 1950 prices	Index of real value April 1950=100
(1)	(2)	(3)	(4)	(5)
				£	£
Field Marshal	…	…	1950	772.00	772.00	100.0
			1960	928.00	624.70	80.9
			1970	1,214.80	551.87	71.5
			1978	2,663.20	450.89	58.4
General	…	…	1950	612.00	612.00	100.0
			1960	768.00	516.99	84.5
			1970	1,054.80	479.19	78.3
			1978	2,503.20	423.80	69.2
Lieutenant.General	…	…	1950	512.00	512.00	100.0
			1960	668.00	449.68	87.8
			1970	954.80	433.76	84.7
			1978	2,403.20	406.87	79.5
Major.General	…	…	1950	422.00	422.00	100.0
			1960	578.00	389.09	92.2
			1970	864.80	392.87	93.1
			1978	2,313.20	391.64	92.8
Brigadier	…	…	1950	362.00	362.00	100.0
			1960	518.00	348.70	96.3
			1970	804.80	365.61	101.0
			1978	2,253.20	381.48	105.4
Colonel	…	…	1950	302.00	302.00	100.0
			1960	458.00	308.31	102.1
			1970	744.80	338.36	112.0
			1978	2,193.20	371.32	123.0
Lieutenant.Colonel	…	…	1950	282.00	282.00	100.0
			1960	438.00	294.85	104.6
			1970	724.80	329.27	116.8
			1978	2,173.20	367.93	130.5
Major	…	…	1950	252.00	252.00	100.0
			1960	408.00	274.65	109.0
			1970	694.80	315.64	125.3
			1978	2,143.20	362.85	144.0
Captain	…	…	1950	237.00	237.00	100.0
			1960	393.00	264.55	111.6
			1970	679.80	308.83	130.3
			1978	2,128.20	360.31	152.0
Lieutenant	…	…	1950	222.00	222.00	100.0
			1960	378.00	254.46	114.6
			1970	664.80	302.01	136.0
			1978	2,113.20	357.77	161.2
Second Lieutenant	…	…	1950	222.00	222.00	100.0
			1960	378.00	254.46	114.6
			1970	664.80	302.01	136.0
			1978	2,113.20	357.77	161.2

pensions are of course paid to comparable ranks in the Royal Navy and Royal Air Force.

TABLE 2—SOLDIERS
Rank	Year (April)	Actual weekly rate of war widows' pension including increase for 2 children	Rate in col. (3) in terms of April 1950 prices	Index of real value April 1950=100
(1)	(2)	(3)	(4)	(5)
				£	£
Warrant Officer I	…	…	1950	3.10	3.10	100.0
			1960	6.05	4.07	131.3
			1970	11.55	5.25	169.4
			1978	39.35	6.66	214.8
Warrant Officer II	…	…	1950	3.05	3.05	100.0
			1960	6.00	4.04	132.5
			1970	11.50	5.22	171.1
			1978	39.30	6.65	218.0
Staff Sergeant	…	…	1950	3.00	3.00	100.0
			1960	5.95	4.01	133.7
			1970	11.45	5.20	173.3
			1978	39.25	6.65	221.7
Sergeant	…	…	1950	2.95	2.95	100.0
			1960	5.90	3.97	134.6
			1970	11.40	5.18	175.6
			1978	39.20	6.64	225.1
Corporal	…	…	1950	2.90	2.90	100.0
			1960	5.85	3.94	135.9
			1970	11.35	5.16	177.9
			1978	39.15	6.63	228.6
Private	…	…	1950	2.85	2.85	100.0
			1960	5.80	3.90	136.8
			1970	11.30	5.13	180.0
			1978	39.10	6.62	232.3