§ Lord BOYD-CARPENTERasked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether they will give consideration to the inclusion of all war pensioners in eligibility for the Christmas bonus promised to other recipients of pensions and other benefits for payment this Christmas.
§ Lord CULLEN of ASHBOURNEUnder the Pensioners' Payments and Social Security Bill, a Christmas bonus will be payable this year to the same categories of people as were eligible for it in 1978. Broadly speaking, it is the intention that the bonus should be paid to retirement pensioners, invalidity pensioners and certain other people who are incapable of working for long periods, 1317WA and to those who are widowed. War disabled pensioners will be entitled to a bonus if they are in receipt of a retirement pension, or other qualifying benefit, such as invalidy pension, unemployability supplement or constant attendance allowance. War disablement pensioners who are not in receipt of a qualifying benefit will also be entitled to a bonus if they are over 70 (men) or 65 (women), or are over 65 (men) or 60 (women) and are treated as having retired from regular employment. This will mean that between a third and a half of all war disablement pensioners will be entitled to a bonus. The Government do not consider it appropriate that a bonus should be paid to members of the community, including war pensioners, who are not retired, or treated as retired, and whose disablement does not prevent them from working.