asked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance the reasons on which he bases his decision to give a war widow with two children less benefit than they would receive if dependent on National Assistance.

As the pension of a war widow is payable irrespective of means it is, of course, not comparable with National Assistance payments. It is, however, by no means always the case that the amount which a war widow with two children receives by way of pennon, rent allowance and family allowance is less than the amount she would receive if she were wholly dependent on National Assistance.