§ Mr. Sheermanasked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he has any plans to introduce legislation to enable the dependants of married women teachers, single women teachers and single men teachers to receive the same pension benefits as the dependants of married men teachers; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mrs. RumboldAlthough a death gratuity is payable in respect of all members of the teachers superannuation scheme, family pensions, subject to completion of a minimum qualifying period, are payable automatically only on the death of a male teacher. They comprise pensions for widows or surviving children, or both. Pensions are payable to widowers, or other dependants, only if the Department has previously accepted dependency nominations in respect of them.
My right hon. Friend accepts that in family pensions as in all other aspects of teachers' superannuation there are strong arguments for equality of treatment. The Social Security Act 1986 will require him to introduce at least minimum provision for widowers' pensions. But there are cost implications. Discussion of the subject is expected to resume in the teachers superannuation working party, on which both teachers and local authorities are represented, when it meets next month.