§ Mrs. Rosie BarnesTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the purpose of the attributable family forces pensions.
§ Mr. Archie HamiltonAttributable forces family pensions arise from the provisions of the occupational pension schemes for members of the armed forces, as amended in 1973. These amended provisions applied to personnel who gave service on or after 31 March 1973. The family pensions provide an appropriate element of income for the eligible widows and dependent children of those service personnel whose cause of death, whether in service or in retirement, is recognised as being attributable to their service in the armed forces. The provisions were intended, as far as practicable, to place service families in an overall position broadly comparable with those of other public servants whose death occurs as a direct consequence of their employment.
§ Mr. Alfred MorrisTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will give for each of the years 1976, 1979, 1982, 1985, 1986, 1987 and 1988 the number of widows in receipt of attributable forces family pension.
§ Mr. Archie HamiltonThe information requested is not directly available and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.