§ Mr. PriorTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate he has made of the cost of backdating the pension arrangements for widowers of female doctors so that they are in line with the pension arrangements for widows of male doctors. [62509]
§ Mr. MilburnThe capitalised cost of backdating widowers' pensions to 1972 based on 1994–95 salaries has been estimated at around £350 million.
§ Mr. PriorTo ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will amend the pension rights of the widowers of female doctors to make them equivalent to the pension arrangements made for widows of male doctors. [62510]
§ Mr. MilburnThe National Health Service pension scheme provides the widowers of female doctors with the same pension rights as widows of male doctors.