The widows of British soldiers could soon be better off

According to reports, the review could mean that payments to the widows or widowers of those killed in action in the future will be doubled.

Mr Hoon will also announce that rights to death-in-service benefits will be extended to unmarried partners of troops who die in action or in accidents, the Sunday Mirror said.

The expected changes follow a number of court cases challenging the rules governing Ministry of Defence payments.

There was also criticism during the war with Iraq that British war widows' payments were far below those available to the widows of US soldiers.

'Good news'

Mr Hoon is expected to outline the changes in a statement to the House of Commons.

It was also suggested that a rule which means widows lose their MoD pension if they remarry will be scrapped.

And all ranks could win the right to start claiming pensions after 18 years' service and full pensions after 35.

Shadow defence secretary Bernard Jenkin said: "This is good news for war widows and no less than they deserve."

The pensions shake-up is expected to form part of an Armed Services Bill, to be included in the Queen's Speech in November or December.

'Reasonably generous'

In April, Defence Minister Dr Lewis Moonie was forced to defend the benefits paid to war widows after criticism they fall way short of US payments.

Newspapers pointed out that a minimum �179,000 paid to the families of US soldiers killed in action far exceeded that available to British families.

Dr Moonie said: "(British widows) get benefits that have always been considered reasonably generous by our own standards."

In August the partner of an SAS soldier who was killed by friendly fire during a training exercise in Oman was awarded �500,000 in compensation after a 12-month battle over pension rights.