HC Deb 12 July 1938 vol 338 cc1129-30W
Mr. R. Beaumont

asked the Secretary of State for War whether he will state the circumstances under which special campaign pensions are awarded and the service necessary before such a pension can be granted; and whether any allowance for a wife can be attached to the pension, or whether it is a purely personal grant?

Mr. Hore-Belisha

Special campaign pensions may be granted to discharged European soldiers who enlisted into the Regular Forces for the ordinary term of service, under the following conditions:

  1. (a) The applicant must have received a war medal for service on a normal Regular Army attestation.
  2. (b) He must have attained the age of 65 years according to the age declared on his first Regular Army attestation.
  3. (c) If already in receipt of a pension in respect of his service, he must surrender such pension.
  4. (d) His weekly income, apart from Army pension, must not exceed 193. (The income of a married man living with his wife is estimated at one-half of the total combined income of the couple.)

There is no minimum service requirement, but if the "qualifying" (normally Colour) service exceeds 14 years higher rates are admissible. The pensions are personal to the ex-soldier concerned and do not include any direct allowance for a wife. As will be seen, however, from paragraph (d) above, the fact that a pensioner is married is taken into account in administering the means condition.