§ Mr. KeetchTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence what plans he has to review the current pension system for widows of army personnel who decide to remarry or cohabit. [72151]
§ Dr. Moonie[holding answer 23 July 2002]: My right hon. Friends the Secretary of State for Defence and the Social Security Minister announced on 20 July 2000 that changes would be made to the Armed Forces Pension Scheme (AFPS) to allow widows and widowers in receipt of an Attributable Forces Family Pension to retain their pension if they remarry or cohabit. These changes took effect from 31 October 2000. Previously, an attributable widow(er)s' pension was withdrawn on remarriage or cohabitation, although it would have been automatically restored on second widowhood or at the end of a period of cohabitation. Those widows or widowers who had already remarried, and have had their attributable pension withdrawn, were not included in the change. Those in receipt of a War Widows' Pension payable under the Naval, Military and Air Force etc. (Disablement and Death) Service Pensions Order 1983, or a non-attributable widows or widowers' AFPS pension, are also not affected by the change; their pensions will still cease on remarriage or cohabitation.
No further changes to widow(er)s' pensions under the current pension scheme are envisaged, however, the review of the AFPS currently proposes extending the October 2000 change to non-attributable pensions. On current plans, this would only apply to those joining the new scheme.