§ Mr. DrewTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the entitlement of widows and widowers to keep their armed forces pension following remarriage. [5460]
§ Dr. MoonieMy right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Defence and the Social Security Minister announced, on 20 July 2000, that change would be made to the Armed Forces Pension Scheme (AFPS) to allow widows and widowers in receipt of an attributable forces family pension to retain their pension if they remarry or cohabit. These changes took effect from 31 October. Previously, an attributable widow's pension was withdrawn on remarriage or cohabitation, although it would have been automatically restored on second widowhood or at the end of a period of cohabitation. Those widows or widowers who had already remarried, and have had their attributable pension withdrawn, were716W not included in the change. Those in receipt of a War Widows' Pension payable under the Naval, Military and Air Force Etc. (Disablement and Death) Service Pensions Order 1983, or a non-attributable widows or widowers' AFPS pension are also not affected by the change; their pensions will still cease on remarriage or cohabitation.