§ 50. Sir T. Beamishasked the Minister of State for Defence what would be the total annual pension including all State benefits, and the gratuity payable under current regulations to the widow with no children of a recently promoted squadron leader with nine years' reckonable service killed on duty today in a flying accident.
§ Mr. KirkA widow in the circumstances described would not be entitled to an occupation widow's pension as the minimum service requirement for pension is at present 10 years. A childless widow of a squadron leader whose death was attributable to military service would receive from the Department of Health and Social Security a pension of £170 a year if under 40 or £497 if aged 40 or more. I understand that for the first 26 weeks of widowhood either of these pensions would be replaced by the more favourable earnings-related widow's allowance at a rate of just over £800 a year. Under present regulations she354W would also receive gratuities amounting to £1,720.