Business of the House Debate

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Department: Leader of the House

Business of the House

Greg Mulholland Excerpts
Thursday 28th January 2016

(8 years, 3 months ago)

Commons Chamber
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Chris Grayling Portrait Chris Grayling
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I indicated that the Secretary of State will be back here in a few days for the Opposition to put that question. They have an Opposition day on Tuesday. If they feel strongly about the issue, they can make that time available to debate it.

Greg Mulholland Portrait Greg Mulholland (Leeds North West) (LD)
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May we have a debate on the ongoing injustice in the system of pensions for widows and widowers of serving personnel? In 1971 Private James Lee was killed in service in Northern Ireland by a terrorist bomb. That was before his first daughter was born, yet when Mrs Susan Rimmer, as she now is, married another soldier in 1979 she lost her pension. She has been told now that the only way to get it back is to get divorced. That is absurd and needs to be changed.

Chris Grayling Portrait Chris Grayling
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We have made changes in that area, but I take on board the hon. Gentleman’s comments and will speak with the Secretary of State for Defence about the matter.