§ Mr. MeacherTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence what would be the cost of applying the Ministry of Defence occupational pension to all war widows widowed prior to 1973; how many extra widows would then become entitled; and what would be the estimated average increase in pension per widow that they would then receive.
§ Mr. Archie HamiltonSeparate figures relating to those war widows whose husbands died before 31 March 1973 are not available. The attributable forces family pension introduced into the armed forces occupational scheme in 1973 is payable only to those war widows whose husbands gave service on or after 31 March 1973. The cost of paying such a pension to all war widows whose husbands' service ended before that date, at current rates, is estimated to be around £200 million a year. About 52,000 war widows would benefit and the average increase in pension received per widow, on that basis, would he approximately £74 per week.