§ 127. Mr. McKibbinasked the Minister of Defence when he intends to take steps to increase officers' service pensions and officers' widows' pensions to an extent comparable with the increases proposed for war disabled and war widows.
§ Mr. H. MacmillanDifferent considerations apply in the case of service officers' retired pay and forces family pensions; my hon. Friend will find a full statement of Her Majesty's Government's views on those matters in the White Paper (Cmd. 9092) issued last March. I have nothing to add to that statement.
§ Captain Kerbyasked the Minister of Defence why the widow of a retired Regular officer is denied a pension, and thus be forced at times to subsist on National Assistance, because she happened to marry her husband after his retirement; and if he will take steps to amend the entitlement to pension so as to cover such circumstances.
§ Mr. H. MacmillanThe Government cannot reasonably be asked to make provision in the Service pensions code for family responsibilities incurred by a Regular officer after he has ceased to be actively employed.