asked the Minister for the Public Service the current number of pre-1968 civil service widows in receipt of pensions; and the current estimated cost of providing parity of pension to such widows in accordance with the scheme available to those in receipt of post-1968 pensions.
Written Answers. - Pension Parity for Widows.
376.
At present there are 2,127 pre-1968 widows in receipt of civil service ex-gratia widows pensions. The direct cost of bringing the rate of those pensions into line with those payable under the civil service widows' and children's contributory pension scheme would be about £576,000 a year, with a further £1,264,000 in respect of other pre-1968 public service widows.