I propose to take Questions Nos. 19 and 40 together.
Pension benefits for the widow of a deceased soldier are dependent upon the deceased being a member of the contributory scheme for widows and children of non-commissioned officers and privates and having paid the appropriate contributions as required by the scheme.
While I sympathise with the position of windows whose husbands did not choose to become members of the scheme, the position is that the scheme is based on the insurance principle and it would be contrary to this principle to provide retrospectively. Moreover, it was made clear that if personnel chose not to join the scheme, no benefit would be payable and they would not be afforded an opportunity of joining the scheme at a later date.