Mr. ROBINSONasked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether, seeing that the pensions to the widows of the men who lost their lives in the Submarine M 1 are only 10s. 6d. per week for the widow without children and 17s. 6d. per week for the widow with children, plus rank allowance, and that the maximum pension, apart from the children's allowances, is 22s. a week, he will approach the Treasury for approval of a Supplementary Estimate to be submitted to the House, which would permit of the pensions being increased to the rates payable to the widows of men who lost their lives during the War, that is, 20s. for the widow without children and 26s. 8d. for the widow with children, apart from the rank allowance?
Mr. DAVIDSONThe pensions awarded to the widows of the men lost in His Majesty's Submarine M.1 are on the scale which was laid down for cases arising after the termination of the War. The scale is in force for the Army and the Air Force as well as for the Navy, and was adopted only after the fullest consideration by the three Service Departments. In the circumstances, I regret that I am1436W not prepared to take action in the direction suggested by the hon. Member.