§ Mr. Nicholas WintertonTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) what information he has concerning the number and ages of war widows from the second world war who are still alive;
(2) what information he has concerning the number of war widows from the first world war who are still alive.
§ Mr. Peter LloydPensions are payable to the widows of service men who served in the armed forces between 1914 and 1921 and since 1939 whose death was due to service during those periods or subsequently; and to the widows of merchant seamen whose death was due to war injury during the first world war and since 1939. At the end of last year 57,550 pensions were in payment, of which 53,100 were to the widows of those who served since 1939. Information about the ages of these widows is not readily available and could be obtained only at a cost considerably in excess of the normal cost of answering a parliamentary question.
§ Mr. Nicholas WintertonTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will give a breakdown by military campaign of the numbers and average age of war widows from campaigns since the end of the second world war.
§ Mr. Peter LloydI regret that this information could be obtained only at a cost considerably in excess of the normal cost of answering a parliamentary question.
§ Mr. Nicholas WintertonTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is the total average income of(a) a pre-1973 war widow and (b) a post-1973 war widow.
§ Mr. Peter LloydThis information is not available. As war widows' pensions are not income related, no information is held about the recipients' total income. The standard war widow's pension is£53.50. In addition, age allowances of£5.75 at age 65,£11.50 at age 70 and£14.45 at age 80 are paid. About 75 per cent. of war widows over pension age receive a retirement pension, and some will be in receipt of occupational pensions or other income. Post-1973 war widows also receive a pension from the Ministry of Defence.
§ Mr. Nicholas WintertonTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security when he last met representatives of British War Widows and Associates.
§ Mr. Peter LloydWe have not yet met representatives of British War Widows and Associates. My right hon. Friend and my noble Friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State hope to do so at a reception sponsored by my hon. Friend to be held in the House on 2 March.
§ Mr. Nicholas WintertonTo ask the Secretary of Stale for Social Security, what estimate he has of the numbers of first and second world war widows who die each year.
§ Mr. Peter LloydAbout 1,000 widows from the first world war and 2,000 widows whose husbands served in the armed forces from 1939 onwards die each year.
§ Mr. John MarshallTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many current war widows were 443W widowed before April 1973; how many of those receive income support; what would be the net cost of giving them similar pension treatment to those widowed after April 1973; and how many current war widows were widowed during the 1939–45 war.
§ Mr. Peter LloydI regret that precise information about the numbers and circumstances of current war widows who were widowed before April 1973 or during the second world war could be obtained only at a cost considerably in excess of the normal cost of answering a parliamentary question. At the end of last year, there were 57,550 war widows, of whom it is estimated between 1 and 2 per cent. were in receipt of income support. It is also estimated that if the 1973 improvements to the armed forces pension scheme were to be extended to pay pensions to pre-1973 war widows on the same basis and rates as for current awards, the gross additional cost would be in the region of£200 million a year.