asked the Minister of State for Defence whether he will now announce improvements in the pensions of service widows, in view of the evidence sent to him by the hon. Member for Tynemouth.

I understand that the Question relates to the situation of widows of officers and men of the regular forces who die from a cause attributable to service. As I told my hon. Friend in my letter of 15th December, the proposals she sent to my noble Friend are being studied thoroughly and sympathetically.

I thank my hon. Friend for that Answer and also for his sympathetic letter. I am alarmed at the rumours that anomalies are not to be met in detail and in all ways. Will my hon. Friend bear in mind that I have come to the conclusion that it must have been easier to win the Battle of Waterloo than it is to move the present Government, or any other Government, to deal with these injustices?

I assure my hon. Friend that we are considering this matter, that no decisions have been taken, that any rumours she has heard are baseless, and that this is likely to be less of a close-run thing than the Battle of Waterloo.

I recognise the difficulties associated with this question, which we on this side in our turn faced, but will the hon. Gentleman bear in mind that our Service widows' pensions compare badly with those of our allies within Europe?

This is one of the factors we are bearing in mind.