§ Mr. SalmondTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assistance and travel information is given to the immediate relatives of the war dead in arranging and meeting the costs of visits to countries in Europe; and if he will list the information he has on the comparable policies of the French, West German and Italian Governments.
§ Mr. NeubertWhere the funeral of a service man or woman who dies overseas is held locally at public expense, two visitors, normally the next of kin, from the United Kingdom or Eire are entitled to attend the funeral with both travel and accommodation costs being met by my Department. If local conditions prevent such a visit from being made, a visit to the grave may be permitted up to two years after the funeral.
The widows of war dead who died prior to 1967 may make visits to graves overseas, whether in Europe or elsewhere, under the Government war widows grant-in-aid scheme, which allows widows to join pilgrimages arranged by the Royal British Legion at one-eighth of the cost for their first visit. Thereafter, the charge represents the cost to the legion.
Information is not currently available on any comparable policies of the French, West German and Italian Governments.