§ Mr. PriorTo ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will backdate the pension arrangements for widowers of female doctors to align them with the pension arrangements for widows of male doctors. [65114]
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§ Mr. DenhamThe National Health Service Pension Scheme provides equal survivor benefits for legal spouses on service from 6 April 1988. A scheme was available until June 1989 which allowed female members to purchase widowers' cover for earlier service, the costs being shared with NHS employers. The capitalised cost of backdating widowers' cover, updated to take account of pay rises, is now estimated to be in the order of £500 million. These costs would have to be paid in full by the whole membership and there is no indication that they would be willing to do so.