Mr. TALBOTasked the Pensions Minister if he is aware that the pension of 15s. 1154W a week granted to Mrs. Smethurst, of Tring, who lost her three sons in the War and is a widow, has been stopped; and if he will investigate this case, which is one of hardship?
§ Sir J. CRAIGIf the hon. Member will supply regimental particulars, for the purpose of identification, inquiries will be made, and I will let him know the result.
§ Mr. GWYNNEasked the Pensions Minister why the pensions to widows of officers who died on service in former wars have been raised and the pensions to widows of officers whose death was not directly attributable to former war service have remained unaltered; and whether he can see his way to increase their pensions correspondingly to meet the enormously increased cost of living?
§ Sir J. CRAIGThe pensions of the widows of officers killed in former wars were raised to the level of pensions of the present War because it was felt that no distinction could fairly be drawn between one war and another. The question of pensions granted to widows of officers whose death was not attributable to war service is governed by different considerations. I may remind the hon. Member that the only class of officers' widows' pensions administered by the Ministry of Pensions, other than those for death due to war service, are those for deaths through injuries in the performance of military duty in peace time. Pensions for the widows of officers dying in other circumstances are administered by the War Office and Admiralty.