asked the Minister of Defence, if, in his review of the question of pensions for officers' widows, he will consider revoking or substantially amending the rule under which a widow 25 years younger than her late husband is debarred from receiving a pension.

I would refer the hon. and gallant Member to the reply which I gave on Wednesday last to my hon. Friend the Member for the Forest of Dean (Mr. Philips Price).

Is it not a fact that this rule was originally made because the authorities got tired of maintaining a very young widow of a very old soldier for a very long time, and that this results in hard cases as well as interfering with the free choice of a wife?

I must refer the hon. and gallant Member to my answer last week and I must adhere to it. We must settle the basis of the new scheme and then I promise to give attention to the points made by hon. Members of the House.