§ Mr. Patrick Jenkinasked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he plans to redress the situation whereby the spouse of a deceased male National Health Service employee receives a pension, whereas the spouse of a deceased female National Health Service employee does not.
§ Mr. EnnalsThe vast majority of occupational pension schemes do not provide for widowers' benefits. But, in common with most public sector schemes, the NHS provides such benefits for widowers who were wholly or mainly dependent on their wives. To provide benefits for widowers who were not so dependent would involve higher costs and higher contributions.
The Occupational Pensions Board considered the general question of equal treatment for men and women in respect of survivors' pensions in its report "Equal Status for Men and Women in Occupational Pension Schemes" (Cmnd. 6599). The Board recommended that when resources permit pension schemes should voluntarily apply the same provisions for 263W survivors' pensions to men and women, but equally accepted that it would not be appropriate to require occupational pension schemes to provide widowers' pensions on the same basis as widows' pensions. The Government have announced that they accept the Board's view on this.