§ Sir T. Beamishasked the Minister of State for Defence what would be the estimated cost in this financial year of paying to widows of members of the Armed Forces their husbands' pay or pension, as appropriate, for the first three months of widowhood, as envisaged in the second stage of the Armed Forces pensions review; and what would be the estimated cost in this financial year if these regulations were to be applied to all those widowed during this year.
§ Mr. BuckThe estimated cost of continuing for the first three months of widowhood the pay or pension of a member of the Armed Forces who was serving on 31st March 1973 but who dies before 1st April 1974 is about £140,000. The total cost if this benefit were extended to widows whose husbands retired before 31st March 1973 and who are entitled to a pension under the Forces Family Pension Scheme would probably approach £ ½ million. The total extra cost of extending this benefit to widows of ex-Service men who are not entitled to widows' pensions under the Forces Family Pension Scheme would be very much greater.
§ Sir T. Beamishasked the Minister of State for Defence what would be the approximate cost of paying an attributable Forces family pension to all war widows on the same terms as apply to all those whose husbands give service on or after 31st March 1973.
§ Mr. BuckIf all war widows were given an attributable Forces family pension under the terms that apply to women whose husbands die attributably in service on or after 31st March 1973, the cost would be in the region of £100 million a year.
§ Sir T. Beamishasked the Minister of State for Defence what would be the approximate cost of increasing the pensions of widows of Armed Forces pensioners from one-third of the husband's pension to one-half.