§ Major TASKERasked the Minister of Health whether, having regard to the fact that claims under The Widows', Orphans' and Old Age Contributory Pensions Act, 1925, have now been made in respect of the great majority of the widows whose husbands, and the orphans whose parents, died before 4th January, 1926, he will discontinue the use of the informative leaflet W.P. 3, as soon as the present stocks thereof are exhausted, combine the information therein with that in leaflet W.P.4, relative to pensions for widows whose husbands, and orphans whose parents, died after 3rd January, 1926, and issue the combined information as one leaflet as soon as the existing stocks of leaflet W.P. 4 are exhausted?
Mr. CHAMBERLAINAs the claims still being made by the widows 'of men who died before the commencement of the Act are in excess of the claims being made by widows whose husbands died after the commencement of the Act, I feel that it is desirable to retain the66W separate leaflet W.P.3, but the suggestion of my hon. and gallant Friend will not be overlooked when a revision of the arrangements is being considered.
§ Mr. WEBBasked the Minister of Health whether, seeing that the widow of a duly insured man, having two children under the age of 14 and otherwise eligible for pension and children's allowances under the Widows', Orphans' and Old Age Contributory Pensions Act, 1925, is treated as disqualified, merely by reason of having re-married in November, 1925, for a widow's pension and for allowances in respect of her children under 14, and that there is no indication of such disqualification in leaflet W.P.3 or in any other publication of the Ministry, notably as regards the stated conditions for children's allowances in the case of a widow's re-marriage, he will say what is the statutory authority for refusing the grant of children's allowances in the case-of a widow of an insured man, otherwise qualified, who has subsequently remarried?
Mr. CHAMBERLAINSection 18 (c) of the Act provides that, in the case of the widow of a man who died before the commencement of the Act, a widow's pension is not payable if she remarried before that date, and Sections 1 (1) (a) and 3 (3) make the additional allowance for children part of the widow's pension. It follows that where the widow, by reason of her remarriage before the commencement of the Act, is not entitled to a pension, allowances are not payable to the children. Where a widow is entitled to a pension, Section 3 (2) provides that it shall cease on her remarriage, but the proviso to Section 3 (3) provides that such cesser shall not affect the continuance of the additional allowance.