A Bill to expand respite care, pensions and other benefits to war veterans received its second reading in the Senate yesterday.

Senators have now submitted The Pensions and Gratuities (War Service) Amendment Act 2009 back to the House of Assembly with a minor amendment deletion of the word "gratuity" from one of the sections.

However, they were unanimous in their support of the Bill.

The Pensions and Gratuities (War Service) Amendment Act 2009 was passed with all-Party support in the House of Assembly last month. It provides pensions and benefits to all war vets and their spouses not just those who were injured during service.

The Bill expands on the amendments two years ago to the original 1947 bill. In 2007, Government amended the War Pensions Act to include members of the Home Guard and all those who served in Bermuda and abroad. The Minister of Finance also doubled pension benefits to $800.

Presenting the Bill to the Senate yesterday, Senator David Burch, said currently 175 veterans and 90 widows are in receipt of benefits.

"It is never too late to do the right thing," he said.

"It has taken us 62 years to right this wrong and today we take several more steps to get it right. We are prepared to return to this place as many times as it takes to get this right."

Sen. Burch added: "All persons who took part in war services and their widows will be eligible for benefits."

Opposition Senator Jeanette Atherden, whose father is a veteran, said: "The Minister (Sen. Burch) indicated it's never too late to do the right thing. We all agree on that.

"When I look at the 1947 Act and look at the things returning vets could have been entitled to, such as a business gratuity or vacation gratuity, if people could have gotten that who were eligible, just look at where they could have been today."

She added: "We have to make sure more advertising takes place because I think sometimes people don't actually remember that their father or grandfather served."

She said: "If war veterans take advantage and apply for these benefits some of their stresses and strains regarding finances and medications will be taken care of."

Independent Senator Walwyn Hughes said: "I would like to add my support to this Bill. It's never too late to correct wrongs, and this is a diminishing group."

He said as the end of the Second World War was now 64 years ago, most veterans would be "eighty-plus".

"They are senior citizens in the true sense of the word and it's nice to see some of these benefits are now available," said Sen. Hughes. "It's also nice to see spouses are now included."