Mr Laurie Ferguson asked the Minister for Veterans' Affairs, upon notice, on 7 April 1998:

(1) How many war widows who remarried since May 1984 have retained their pension as a result of the legislative changes in 1986.

(2) What is the estimated number of war widows who remarried before May 1984 and (a) are still alive, (b) have been widowed a second time and (c) are separated or divorced from their second husband.

(3) Has the Government reviewed the treatment of war widows who remarried before May 1984; if so, (a) what were the recommendations of the review and (b) what changes has the Government made.

Mr Bruce Scott (Veterans' Affairs) —The answer to the honourable member's question are is follows:

(1) Statistics of war widows who remarried since May 1984 and have retained their pension as a result of the legislative changes of 1986 are not readily available. The reason is that there is no requirement for a war widow who remarried after May 1984 to advise my Department of her change of personal circumstances unless she was in receipt of or applies for Income Support Supplement or income support from Centrelink.

(2) My Department does not have reliable figures, however estimated figures are: (a) 4,100; (b) 2,020; (c) 200.

(3) In 1994 an Inquiry into Compensation for Veterans and War Widows (the Baume Committee) considered the treatment of war widows who remarried prior to May 1984.

(a) The Committee recommended that the current pension rules relating to remarriage should remain in place.

(b) No changes have been made by the Government.