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Ministry of Defence

Answer

Mr. Hayes: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to the answer of 18 December 2004, Official Report, column 1229W, on service medals, how many personnel who have served in operational theatres since 1997 and have fulfilled the awarding criteria for a medal have yet to receive the medal; how many service personnel who have fulfilled the criteria for long service medals have yet to receive the medal; how many personnel who have served in (a) Afghanistan, (b) Sierra Leone, (c) Iraq and (d) the Balkans (i) fulfil the criteria for, (ii) have received and (iii) have yet to receive the relevant campaign medal; and what the longest period is for which a serviceman has had to wait for a medal awarded for service since 1997. [216589] Mr. Caplin: The information is not held in the format requested. However, all medals irrespective of type are normally engraved and despatched by the Department within two weeks of eligibility being established. As at 4 February 2005 there were 4,815 personnel whose eligibility had been established, but had yet to receive their medal. Of these, 2,782 medals were waiting to be engraved, including 651 Iraq medals and 358 Canal Zone medals. The balance of 1,773 comprised all other awards including those for Afghanistan, Sierra Leone and long service medals. In the remaining 2,033 cases, medals had been engraved and were awaiting despatch, but it is not possible to break these down by medal type. Medals for service in the Balkans are NATO medals, which are normally issued by the NATO authorities in the operational theatre details. Figures relating to these medals are not held by the MOD.

Secondary information

Type

Written question

Reference

216589; 431 c805-6W;431 c801-2W

Session

2004-05

Subjects

Administrative delays Iraq Military decorations Sierra Leone Afghanistan Suez (Egypt) Veterans

Contains statistics

Yes

Link

View this Written question on www.publications.parliament.uk