HC Deb 29 March 1973 vol 853 cc385-6W
Mr. Frank Allaun

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what was the value of the Parents' War Pension when it was first introduced, both in cash terms and in relation to national average earnings at that time; when it was last increased; what is its present level; what is its value in relation to national average earnings; and if he will consider increasing it.

Mr. Dean

These pensions were first introduced during the 1914 war. When responsibility for pension administration was transferred from the Service Departments to the Ministry of Pensions in 1917 a parent's war pension was paid at a maximum weekly rate of 15s. 0d. Special discretionary rates applied for officers' parents. The maximum rates for deaths of all ranks have remained unchanged since 1946. They are:

OTHER RANKS AND CIVILIANS (WEEKLY RATES)
Normal maximum rate Exceptional maximum rate
£ £
parent … … 1.00 1.38
Two parents … … 1.38 20.0
OFFICERS UP TO RANK OF LT.-COLONEL (ANNUAL RATES)
Normal maximum rate Exceptional maximum rate
One parent … … 75.00 95.00
Two parents … … 100.00 120.00

I regret that figures relating to national average earnings in 1917 are not available in my Department. When parents' war pension rates were frozen in 1946 national average earnings amounted to £5.70 a week; in October 1972 they were £35.82.

A comparison of parents' war pension rates with national average earnings can have no value because the original intention of the scheme was to replace to some extent the support for which a son was legally liable under the Poor Law Act. They are therefore based on need arising from age or other adverse conditions. Since the scheme originated the poor law has been abolished and social security provisions have been greatly expanded. Parents' war pensions have been retained as a measure of preference to supplement ordinary social security benefit but because of the major developments in the latter since 1946 and the introduction of the supplementary benefits scheme a further increase in this preference would not be appropriate.