§ Mr. McAllionTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will make it his policy to lower the age limit for the age allowance in war widows' pensions from 65 to 60 years; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. PortilloThe age allowances currently paid are £5.50 at age 65, increasing to £11 at 70 and £13.85 at 80. They are paid in addition to the standard war widow's pension of £51.35 a week, which is itself 30 per cent. higher than the national insurance widow's pension. These allowances are unique to the war widow's pension scheme and are intended to recognise the additional needs of elderly war widows as they grow older. There is no reason to reduce the age at which they are paid to 60.
§ Mr. McAllionTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will make it his policy to implement the request made by the War Widows Association of Great 495W Britain to increase the additional sums paid in age allowances related to war widows' pensions by £2 a week; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. PortilloThe request stems from proposals made in 1986 by a joint working group of officials and representatives of ex-service organisations to abolish some of the out-of-date provisions of the war pensions scheme and use the resources released to increase war widows' age allowances by £2 a week. The Central Advisory Committee on War Pensions rejected the proposals. That remains the position.