asked the Minister for the Public Service whether he has any proposals to provide pensions to the widows of unestablished civil servants who at present enjoy no pensions on the death of their husbands.
Written Answers. - Pension Rights.
305.
There is at present in respect of unestablished civil servants a pension scheme entitled Contributory Pension Scheme for Widows and Children of non-established State Employees. This scheme was introduced with effect from 1 December 1978 and applies to all men who were appointed as unestablished civil servants on or after that date and to those unestablished civil servants already serving on that date who did not exercise an option not to join the scheme. Benefits under the scheme are therefore available to all widows who married while their husbands were serving as unestablished civil servants in the foregoing categories.
There is also in operation in respect of unestablished civil servants who had retired or died prior to the date of the introduction of the contributory scheme, that is prior to 1 December 1978, a scheme entitled an Ex-Gratia Pension Scheme for Widows and Children of non-established State Employees. Under this scheme benefits are available to all widows of unestablished civil servants who married while their husbands were serving in that capacity but who had died or retired prior to 1 December 1978.
I have no proposals to alter the terms of either scheme.