§ Mr. Andrew BowdenTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) what is his best estimate of the number of widows of post-retirement marriages with public servants who do not receive a widow's pension;
(2) what would be the cost of extending the payment of widow's pensions to all widows of post-retirement marriages with public servants.
§ Mr. BrookeI have been asked to reply.
Information on the numbers of widows of post-retirement marriages of public servants before 6 April 1978 was not required to be held. I regret that an estimate of the cost of extending the payment of widow's pensions to all widows of post-retirement marriages of public servants could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.