To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will estimate the net cost, allowing for a reduction in income support, of topping up the pensions of British widows of New Zealand soldiers currently residing in the United Kingdom to the same level as the widows' pension received by British war widows.
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what estimate he has made of the net cost of increasing the pensions of British widows of New Zealand service men now residing in the United Kingdom to the level of the widows' pension received by British war widows.
The information to enable us to estimate costs accurately is not available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost. However, on the basis that there are 38 such widows, it is estimated that the gross cost would be in the region of £200,000 per year.