asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will list in the Official Report the value of a war widow's pension for each rank in the Army, Royal Navy and Royal Air Force, as at 1st April 1950, 1st April 1960, 1st April 1970, and 1st April 1978; and show for comparison the cost of living index at those dates taking the index and the value of the £sterling as 100 at 1st April 1950, and assuming that the widow in each case had two children of 11 years and seven years of age.
pursuant to his reply [Official Report, 12th June 1978; Vol. 951, c. 330], gave the following answer:
The following is the information requested based on the standard rates of war widow's pension. The ranks given are those for the Army, but equivalent
| TABLE 1—OFFICERS | ||||||
Rank
| Year (April)
| Actual annual rate of war widows' pension including increase for 2 children
| Rate in col. (3) in terms of April 1950 prices | Index of real value April 1950=100
| ||
| (1) | (2) | (3) | (4) | (5) | ||
| £ | £ | |||||
| Field Marshal | … | … | 1950 | 772·00 | 772·00 | 100·0 |
| 1960 | 928·00 | 624·70 | 80·9 | |||
| 1970 | 1,214·80 | 551·87 | 71·5 | |||
| 1978 | 2,663·20 | 450·89 | 58·4 | |||
| General | … | … | 1950 | 612·00 | 612·00 | 100·0 |
| 1960 | 768·00 | 516·99 | 84·5 | |||
| 1970 | 1,054·80 | 479·19 | 78·3 | |||
| 1978 | 2,503·20 | 423·80 | 69·2 | |||
| Lieutenant·General | … | … | 1950 | 512·00 | 512·00 | 100·0 |
| 1960 | 668·00 | 449·68 | 87·8 | |||
| 1970 | 954·80 | 433·76 | 84·7 | |||
| 1978 | 2,403·20 | 406·87 | 79·5 | |||
| Major·General | … | … | 1950 | 422·00 | 422·00 | 100·0 |
| 1960 | 578·00 | 389·09 | 92·2 | |||
| 1970 | 864·80 | 392·87 | 93·1 | |||
| 1978 | 2,313·20 | 391·64 | 92·8 | |||
| Brigadier | … | … | 1950 | 362·00 | 362·00 | 100·0 |
| 1960 | 518·00 | 348·70 | 96·3 | |||
| 1970 | 804·80 | 365·61 | 101·0 | |||
| 1978 | 2,253·20 | 381·48 | 105·4 | |||
| Colonel | … | … | 1950 | 302·00 | 302·00 | 100·0 |
| 1960 | 458·00 | 308·31 | 102·1 | |||
| 1970 | 744·80 | 338·36 | 112·0 | |||
| 1978 | 2,193·20 | 371·32 | 123·0 | |||
| Lieutenant·Colonel | … | … | 1950 | 282·00 | 282·00 | 100·0 |
| 1960 | 438·00 | 294·85 | 104·6 | |||
| 1970 | 724·80 | 329·27 | 116·8 | |||
| 1978 | 2,173·20 | 367·93 | 130·5 | |||
| Major | … | … | 1950 | 252·00 | 252·00 | 100·0 |
| 1960 | 408·00 | 274·65 | 109·0 | |||
| 1970 | 694·80 | 315·64 | 125·3 | |||
| 1978 | 2,143·20 | 362·85 | 144·0 | |||
| Captain | … | … | 1950 | 237·00 | 237·00 | 100·0 |
| 1960 | 393·00 | 264·55 | 111·6 | |||
| 1970 | 679·80 | 308·83 | 130·3 | |||
| 1978 | 2,128·20 | 360·31 | 152·0 | |||
| Lieutenant | … | … | 1950 | 222·00 | 222·00 | 100·0 |
| 1960 | 378·00 | 254·46 | 114·6 | |||
| 1970 | 664·80 | 302·01 | 136·0 | |||
| 1978 | 2,113·20 | 357·77 | 161·2 | |||
| Second Lieutenant | … | … | 1950 | 222·00 | 222·00 | 100·0 |
| 1960 | 378·00 | 254·46 | 114·6 | |||
| 1970 | 664·80 | 302·01 | 136·0 | |||
| 1978 | 2,113·20 | 357·77 | 161·2 | |||
pensions are of course paid to comparable ranks in the Royal Navy and Royal Air Force.
| TABLE 2—SOLDIERS | ||||||
Rank
| Year (April)
| Actual weekly rate of war widows' pension including increase for 2 children
| Rate in col. (3) in terms of April 1950 prices
| Index of real value April 1950=100
| ||
(1)
| (2)
| (3)
| (4)
| (5)
| ||
| £ | £ | |||||
| Warrant Officer I | … | … | 1950 | 3·10 | 3·10 | 100·0 |
| 1960 | 6·05 | 4·07 | 131·3 | |||
| 1970 | 11·55 | 5·25 | 169·4 | |||
| 1978 | 39·35 | 6·66 | 214·8 | |||
| Warrant Officer II | … | … | 1950 | 3·05 | 3·05 | 100·0 |
| 1960 | 6·00 | 4·04 | 132·5 | |||
| 1970 | 11·50 | 5·22 | 171·1 | |||
| 1978 | 39·30 | 6·65 | 218·0 | |||
| Staff Sergeant | … | … | 1950 | 3·00 | 3·00 | 100·0 |
| 1960 | 5·95 | 4·01 | 133·7 | |||
| 1970 | 11·45 | 5·20 | 173·3 | |||
| 1978 | 39·25 | 6·65 | 221·7 | |||
| Sergeant | … | … | 1950 | 2·95 | 2·95 | 100·0 |
| 1960 | 5·90 | 3·97 | 134·6 | |||
| 1970 | 11·40 | 5·18 | 175·6 | |||
| 1978 | 39·20 | 6·64 | 225·1 | |||
| Corporal | … | … | 1950 | 2·90 | 2·90 | 100·0 |
| 1960 | 5·85 | 3·94 | 135·9 | |||
| 1970 | 11·35 | 5·16 | 177·9 | |||
| 1978 | 39·15 | 6·63 | 228·6 | |||
| Private | … | … | 1950 | 2·85 | 2·85 | 100·0 |
| 1960 | 5·80 | 3·90 | 136·8 | |||
| 1970 | 11·30 | 5·13 | 180·0 | |||
| 1978 | 39·10 | 6·62 | 232·3 | |||