Clause 4 - Existing naval and marine pensions
Armed Forces(Pensions and Compensation) Bill
5:00 pm
Mr Ivor Caplin (Parliamentary Under-Secretary, Ministry of Defence; Hove, Labour)
I have worked out a system to ensure that I can introduce the clause.
The clause amends the Naval and Marine Pay and Pensions Act 1865, to which the hon. Member for Aldershot referred in his opening remarks last Tuesday. It will allow the payment of benefits due to unmarried partners in the event of death in service of naval personnel under the current armed forces pension scheme. It is important to emphasise that the Acts covering the other two services do not need similar amendment. The clause relates specifically to the Navy.
The new pension scheme treats unmarried partners in a substantial relationship in the same way as married couples are treated. That relationship is judged according to a clear set of criteria that I gave to the Select Committee in December in an annexe to a memorandum that I sent to it. The extension of benefits to unmarried partners was introduced on an
ex gratia basis for conflict-related deaths at the start of the most recent Gulf conflict. When work was started on amending the prerogative instruments to formalise this provision in the scheme rules, we found that the primary legislation underpinning the payments of naval pensions did not allow payments to unmarried partners. The clause amends the relevant Act to allow for such payments.