§ Mr. WebbTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence for what reasons Mrs. M. K. Tushingham, a constituent whose details have been supplied, has been told that she may no longer receive her RAF widows pension via an order book at a post office. [48989]
§ Dr. Moonie[holding answer 15 April 2002]: Pensions under the Armed Forces Pension Scheme are normally paid monthly in arrears. Some 6,700 pensioners (2 per cent. of the total number of Armed Forces pensioners) in receipt of pensions prior to 1981 have retained rights to payment of 820W pensions weekly in advance, historically via a "Payable Order Book" (POB) cashable at post offices. Revised arrangements were introduced from April 2002 to provide the pensioner with a more secure means of payment than the POB system; it is also more cost-effective to the Ministry of Defence and easier to administer.
§ Mr. WebbTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) if he will make a statement on the circumstances in which RAF widows can receive their war pensions other than into a bank account; [48987]
(2) what arrangements are available for war widows who (a) are unable to obtain a bank account and (b) do not wish to open a bank account to receive their pensions. [48988]
§ Dr. Moonie[holding answer 15 April 2002]: War Widows pensions, administered by the Veterans Agency, can be paid into either a bank account or building society, or by cash at the post office.