HC Deb 17 April 1978 vol 948 cc61-2W
Mr. Trotter

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what representations he has received about the level of Service pay to the effect that insurance companies are not prepared to accept Service men as clients because their actuaries regard Service pay as too low to keep up payments.

Mr. Mulley

None. Moreover, I understand that insurance companies do not discriminate against Service men in the way suggested.

Mr. Trotter

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will place in the Library a consolidated list of the terms of reference of the Armed Forces Pay Review Body; and if he is satisfied that they adequately cover such matters as (a) Service pensions and (b) the State benefit entitlements of Service families overseas.

Mr. Mulley

I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave to the hon. and Gallant Member for Winchester (Rear-Admiral Morgan-Giles) on 7th March 1978. The terms of reference of the Armed Forces Pay Review Body do not cover Service pensions, which are based directly on rates of pay, nor State benefit entitlements which are governed by statute and statutory instruments [Vol. 945, c. 623.]

Mr. Churchill

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what social security and other benefits, for which low-paid families would qualify in the United Kingdom, are being denied to Service men and their dependants serving with the British Army of the Rhine or RAF Germany; what is the maximum weekly loss that an individual family could suffer assuming two children of school age and two youngsters of 16 and 17 years who are without a job; and what steps he proposes to redress this situation.

Dr. Gilbert

The hon. Member is postulating a set of family circumstances that is not typical in the Services. How- ever,the whole question of eligibility of Service personnel overseas for social security and other benefits has been discussed between this Department and the DHSS since last year, and I will be writing to the hon. Gentleman.

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