HC Deb 14 December 1990 vol 182 cc536-7W
Mr. Andrew Bowden

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what recent representations he has received advocating the extension of payment of civil service widows' pensions to the widows of post-retirement marriages with civil servants who retired before April 1978.

Mrs. Gillian Shephard

Since my hon. Friend, the former Paymaster General, replied to a similar question from my hon. Friend on 15 October this year, at column716, the civil service unions have submitted a claim for improvements in the provision made by the civil service pension scheme for the widows of post-retirement marriages.

Mr. Andrew Bowden

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will reconsider his decision not to amend the civil service pension scheme to provide for the payment of pensions to the widows of post-retirement marriages whose husbands retired before 6 April 1978.

Mrs. Gillian Shephard

The Government have no plans to extend the present arrangements so that account is taken of pensionable service before 6 April 1978.