Forces Widows' Pensions (Equality of Treatment) Bill

Part of Prayers – in the House of Commons at 12:53 pm on 19 June 2009.

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Photo of Annette Brooke Annette Brooke Shadow Spokesperson (Children, Schools and Families), Shadow Minister (Education) 12:53, 19 June 2009

I shall be very brief in light of the time that is left. I congratulate Mr. Mates not only on introducing the Bill, but on his long-standing work on the issue—work that I had heard of before I entered Parliament.

We support the Bill, because it removes the use of arbitrary dates as a means of deciding financial support for the individuals whom we are considering. We firmly believe that we need to recognise the value and contribution that forces families make, and we believe that a Government's commitment to the military covenant should never be called into question. We welcome the Bill also as a step towards resolving many outstanding issues that service personnel feel need to be addressed, and we would like to be swiftly implemented, because—obviously and as had been said already—fewer forces widows are likely to see the benefit if time goes on and on before the change is made.