§ Mr. Pattieasked the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) how many local government officers who retired prior to 31st March 1972 are in receipt of a local government pension;
(2) how many widows of local government officers who retired prior to 31st March 1972 are in receipt of one-third of their late husband's pension.
§ Mr. John SilkinSome 150,000 local government officers who retired before 31st March 1972 are in receipt of local government pensions, and some 55,000 widows of local government officers who retired before that date are receiving one-third of their late husbands' pensions.
§ Mr. Pattieasked the Secretary of State for the Environment what would be the cost of increasing the pensions of widows of local government officers who retired before 31st March 1972 to the level of pension received by widows of local government officers who have retired since 31st March 1972.
§ Mr. John SilkinThe capital cost is very approximately estimated at some £100 million, which would fall to be borne by local authorities. The ultimate financial consequences for the public purse of setting a precedent for applying pension scheme improvements to people or the widows of people who retired before the improvements were agreed could be much greater.