§ Mr. Wigleyasked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will publish a table showing the initial rate which the industrial death benefit was first introduced for the widows of those who died through industrial injury disease, together with the dates of each subsequent increase in the weekly rate payable; and if he will indicate, for each figure, its value in current purchasing terms.
§ Mr. MajorIndustrial death benefit is payable at one of three rates. All industrial widows receive an initial industrial widow's pension, currently £54.20 a week, for the first 26 weeks of widowhood. Thereafter two permanent rates are payable depending on the widow's age and whether she has dependent children. The higher permanent rate, £39.25 a week, is payable to older widows and widows with dependent children. The lower permanent rate, £11.61 a week is payable to younger widows without dependent children.
The initial pension is paid at the same rate as national insurance widows' allowance. The lower permanent rate is the same as that payable to a widow aged 40 under the NI scheme.
The following table relates to the higher permanent rate which has been 55p a week higher than national insurance widow's pension since November 1967:
Industrial Death Benefit Date Higher permanent rate £ 1Real value £ July 1948 1.50 18.47 July 1952 1.85 17.90 April 1955 2.25 20.39 January 1958 2.80 22.45 April 1961 3.20 24.49 May 1963 3.75 26.63 March 1965 4.50 30.21 November 1967 5.05 30.95 November 1969 5.55 30.68 September 1971 6.55 31.08 October 1972 7.30 31.93 October 1973 8.30 33.03 July 1974 10.55 37.00 April 1975 12.15 36.21 November 1975 13.85 36.95 November 1976 15.85 36.78 November 1977 18.05 37.05 November 1978 20.05 38.09 November 1979 23.85 38.60 November 1980 27.70 38.88 November 1981 30.15 37.79 November 1982 33.40 39.40 November 1983 34.60 38.93 November 1984 36.35 38.97 November 1985 38.85 39.50 July 1986 39.25 39.25 1 Based on the movement in the retail price index between the dates shown and July 1986.