§ Mr. Viggersasked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list, in respect of pensions granted to widows whose husbands served below the rank of warrant officer I and who retired before 1 September 1950, that is pre-1950 widows (a) the number of widows currently in receipt of a pre-1950 widows' pension, (b) the total number of widows who have been granted such a pension since such pensions were granted in 1979, (c) the current level of pension and (d) the current annual cost.
§ Mr. LeeThe answers to(a) to (d) as at 30 September 1984 are:
- (a)17,228.
- (b)21,773.
- (c) The level of pension depends on the husband's rank on discharge. The current annual rates are:
£ Warrant Officer I 675.72 Warrant Officer II 620.41 Staff Sergeant 573.97 Sergeant 498.83 Corporal and below 377.25 These will be increased by 5.1 per cent. from 26 November 1984.
(d)£8.7 million.