asked Her Majesty's Government:

(i) what has been the annual decrease within the age brackets (a) 60–70; (b) 70–80; and (c) over 80, in the number of widows in receipt of a war widow's pension since 1958;

(ii) whether they will give an estimate of the number of war widows over 80 who are not in receipt of a state retirement pension, but who are receiving supplementary benefits, and of the annual cost of these benefits, at the latest available date;

(iii) what was the annual rate of the basic private's war widow's pension in 1945; and what increases have been given since then with the effective dates;

(iv) on what date the allowances payable to the war widow of a private at the ages of 65 and 70 were first introduced; and what increases have been given since then, with the effective dates;

(v) how many women are in receipt of a state retirement pension based solely or partly on their own contributions, showing the two categories separately.

(i) Figures are not available in this form before 1972. Annual net decreases are as follows:

	Age 60–70	Age 70–80	Over 80
1972		672	781
1973		17	946
1974			1,051
1975			843
1976	221		1,054
1977	968		820
1978	1,005		462
1979	1,224		731
1980	777		436
1981	1,428		358

(ii) At December 1980 (the latest date for which figures are available) it is estimated that about 1,000 war widows were in this category. The annual cost would be about £250,000.(iii) The standard rate war widow's pension for the widow of a private in 1945 was £1·625 a week and currently it is £38·45, effective from 23rd November 1981. The rates during the intervening period are given in Table 36.02 of Social Security Statistics 1981 which is available in the Library.(iv) Age 70 allowance was first introduced on 1st June 1959 and age 65 allowance on 20th September 1971. The current rates are £7·50 and £3·75 a week respectively, effective from 23rd November 1981. Earlier rates are given in the War Pensioners' Annual Reports which are available in the Library.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether it is intended to call out any United Kingdom reservists in connection with the situation in the Falkland Islands.

It is not expected that any large-scale call out of Reserves will be needed, but, to provide adequate numbers of personnel with special skills and recent experience to man the additional warships that are being brought forward from refit, and to provide additional naval personnel required on the merchant ships requisitioned from trade, it may soon become necessary to start a selective call out for service of a small number of specialists from the Royal Naval and Royal Marine reservists. This is likely to be confined to members of the Special Class of the Royal Fleet Reserve—that is, ratings and Royal Marine other ranks who have left full-time service during the last 12 months—and a small number of senior ratings who have recently left the Navy on immediate pension (the latter class would be required mainly for instructional duties in order to release regulars for other tasks).Present plans envisage that up to about 300 may be involved in due course. The need for Reserve officers is unlikely at present to go beyond a requirement for some medical officers for periods of four to six months. The provisions of the Order in Council made on 27th June 1962 are, however, being extended by a new Order in Council to call out other officers if this becomes necessary. The requirement for Royal Navy and Royal Marine Reserves will be reviewed as the situation develops and, where possible, suitable volunteers will be selected. It may also be possible to accept small numbers of suitable volunteers with recent experience in the reserve or regular forces for very short engagements of six months or one year in the Royal Navy and Royal Marines. These arrangements are additional to the normal call out of reservists for routine training, which will continue. Parliament will be kept informed as necessary.House adjourned at twenty-seven minutes before eleven o'clock.