asked the Minister of Pensions whether he will take steps to extend the payment of marriage and child allowances to war-disabled pensioners when the child has been legally adopted by its foster parents, inasmuch as the State is, as a rule in these cases, relieved of responsibility and cost of maintenance of these children.

The allowance which may now be paid to a pensioner for his wife, irrespective of the date of his marriage, is payable whether or not there is a child qualifying for an allowance. An allowance is pay able for a legally adopted child if the adoption took place before the date of the pensioner's disablement. My right hon. Friend could not recommend that similar recognition should be given to children adopted after that date.

Can the hon. Member tell me why, if the disabled pensioner in this case has the same moral and legal obligation to the child, he should be treated differently?

I do not see that there is any real claim for special treatment of children adopted by disabled pensioners as against those adopted by anyone else