HC Deb 22 April 1980 vol 983 c115W
Mr. Cartwright

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is his most recent estimate of the total number of widows in Great Britain; how many are aged 65 years or over; and how many are aged between 60 and 64 years.

Mr. Prentice

The information is as follows:

Mid-1978 estimate
Total number of widows 3,199,000
Widows aged 65 or over 2,398,000
Widows aged 60–64 3 31,000

Mr. Cartwright

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is his most recent estimate of the number of widows receiving the war widows' pension.

Mr. Prentice

At 28 December 1979 there were about 78,600 war widows' pensions in payment.