§ Mr. BowdenTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence what entitlement widows of post-service marriages to armed forces personnel have to a widow's pension based on the service of their late husband; and what the position was prior to 1978, and from 1978 to 1987.
§ Mr. Archie HamiltonThe current terms of the armed forces pension scheme include provision for a pension to be awarded to the eligible widow of a service man who marries after leaving the armed forces provided that some part of his service was given on or after 6 April 1978 and that he himself qualified for retired pay or pension. Before that date, widows of post-retirement marriages had no entitlement to a pension.
§ Mr. BowdenTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence what plans he has to extend entitlement to armed service widows' pensions to all widows of armed service personnel, irrespective of whether marriage was contracted before, during or after the period of service.
§ Mr. Archie HamiltonThe armed forces pension scheme already provides pensions for the eligible widows of service personnel leaving the armed forces on or after 6 April 1978 irrespective of whether marriage took place before or after service was completed. There are no plans to backdate these arrangements.