§ Mrs. Margaret EwingTo ask the Secretary of State for Scotland when he expects that the Government Actuary Department's review of the various proposals relating to the payment of widowers' pensions to widowers whose wives were employed in the teaching profession between 1972 and 1988 will be published; and when he expects a ruling will be made on the Scottish scheme.
§ Mr. Michael ForsythThe Government Actuary's Department is not conducting a review of proposals relating to the payment of pensions to widowers whose wives were employed in teaching between 1972 and 1988. The Government Actuary has, however, just presented an actuarial report to the Secretary of State in respect of the Scottish teachers superannuation scheme for the quin-quennium 1981–1986 which is currently being considered.
With regard to the question of widowers' pensions the Scottish teachers superannuation scheme is being amended to introduce widowers' benefits in respect of service undertaken by women teachers from 6 April 1988. The Social Security Act 1986 requires that, for service from this date, a widower will become entitled to a restricted pension of one-half of the minimum pension of his spouse guranteed for the purposes of contracting out of the state earnings related pension scheme. However, after consultation with teachers' associations and employers, it has been agreed that, in respect of service after 6 April 1988, the teachers' scheme will go further than the statutory requirement and will provide widowers' benefits on the same basis as those currently available to widows. In order to cover service prior to that date it will be necessary, however, for those women teachers, who so choose, to make appropriate payments. This is because the contributions already paid do not reflect the cost of giving such a substantial improvement.