Widows (Hansard, 10 April 2002)

§ Mr. Jenkin
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many pensioners have been affected by the provision in the war widows pension whereby widows whose husbands served before 1970 receive a pension equivalent to 33 per cent. of their husbands' retired pay; and what plans he has to amend the provision. [46861]

§ Dr. Moonie
The rates of war widows' pensions paid under the War Pensions Scheme are not based on the husbands' dates of service or the rate of their retired pay.

§ Mr. Jenkin
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many widows of post-retirement marriages to ex-servicemen are affected by the rule whereby they are only entitled to payments on service following 1978. [46870]

§ Mr. Ingram
There is no requirement for the Ministry of Defence to hold data on post-retirement marriages of pensioners with service before 1978. This information is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

§ Mr. Jenkin
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what plans he has to review the situation whereby widows of post-retirement marriages to ex-servicemen are only entitled to payments on service following 1978. [46869]

§ Dr. Moonie
The Government have no plans to increase the current armed forces pension scheme provisions for widows of post-retirement marriages. Following long-standing practice, improvements to the armed forces and other public sector pension schemes do not apply retrospectively.