§ Mr. WILESasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he is aware that Army pensions for widows have now been increased to a larger amount than the pension given to the widow of a policeman who has joined the Colours and been killed on active service; and, if so, will he at once take the steps necessary to redress this grievance, especially having regard to the fact that the husband's contributions to the police pension fund have been deducted from his pay throughout his service?
Mr. SAMUELThe question seems to be based on a misapprehension. Widows of policemen who have joined the Colours and been killed on active service receive from Army funds the same pensions as the widows of other soldiers. If these pensions are less than the pensions the widows would have received if their husbands had been killed in the execution of their duty as constables, the police authorities have power under Section 1 of the Police Constables (Naval and Military Service) Act, 1914, to grant them supplementary pensions which will bring their allowances up to the full amount of the police pension; but, of course, no supplementary pension can be given where the Army pension actually exceeds the maximum pension possible under the Police Acts.