Part of the debate – in the House of Commons at 10:19 pm on 23 November 1989.
Sir Archie Hamilton
The Minister of State, Ministry of Defence
10:19,
23 November 1989
No, I shall not give way any more because it will take all the time available to complete my speech.
I emphasise those numbers, for they are important. We are being asked to extend the schedule which currently applies to only about 1,200 widows to more than 50,000 others. Although the overall number of war widows is, of course, declining, I must point out that there are still many new cases of pre-1973 widows' benefit being awarded—some 1,500 in the last full year. That number is greater than the total number of widows who have come on to the new scheme since 1973. Forecasts show that, even at the turn of the century, there may still be about 30,000 pre-1973 war widows.
All war widows receive benefits considerably in excess of the basic state widows' pension—some, as I shall show, considerably in excess. From April 1990, a war widow will receive £60·95 per week from the DSS as a basic minimum, and that is tax free. By contrast, a widow in receipt of the basic state pension will receive £46·90, which is taxable. Therefore, a war widow is already some 30 per cent. better off. Even at the most basic level, her war pension is appreciably higher. The vast Majority receive even greater benefits.
Although we do not have a complete profile, what we can say is that about 30 per cent. of pre-1973 war widows' are aged 80 or more; about 70 per cent. of them are aged 70 or more; and over 85 per cent. of them are aged 65 or more. All war widows over the ages of 65 receive one of the special age allowances which increase with age. The war widows' pension and those age allowances are all tax free.
On top of that, war widows are able to receive a state retirement pension in addition to their war widows' pension, if they have been employed and made contributions—some 75 per cent. receive an extra pension that way.
What does all this mean in terms of the rates that will apply from April 1990? It means that a war widow aged between 65 and 70, if she has earned a full state retirement pension, can receive almost £115 per week—£609·5 war widows pension, £7 age allowance and £46·90 retirement pension which is dependent on her making all the contributions. Unless she has additional income she will pay no tax. On comparable figures, for a war widow aged 80 the figure will be £128 per week.
I remind the House that the majority of the widows from world war two, and all those from world war one, must be in one of those age groups where the age allowance is paid.
I do not believe that that is evidence of disregard and neglect on the part of the Government. The Government have taken some important and valuable measures to help war widows, and to direct help where it is most needed, to those war widows who are getting older and whose needs are greater.
When considering the question of retrospection, difficulties are created by the knock-on effect upon other groups. It has been said that the war widows are a special case. I accept that. But were retrospection to be conceded for them, what of the case of service men who were injured and needed to be invalided from service? It was said that we need not include the disabled, but that is not true—
The motion having been made at Ten o'clock, and the debate having continued for half an hour, MR. Speaker adjourned the House without Question put, pursuant to the Standing Order.
Adjourned accordingly at half-past Ten o'clock.
To allow another Member to speak.
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