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Ministry of Defence

Answer

Mr. Keith Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the grant-in-aid for the (a) Commonwealth War Graves Commission, (b) Ghurkha Welfare Scheme, (c) Welfare Council, (d) Victoria/George Cross, (e) Royal British Legion--Polish Ex-Servicemen and (f) Royal British Legion--War Graves was for financial years 1997-98 to 2003-04. [221976] Mr. Caplin: The Grant-in-Aid payments for financial years 1997-98 to 2003-04 were: £000 _________________________________________________________________________________________________. 1997-98 1998-99 1999-2000 2000-01 2001-02 2002-03 2003-04 Commonwealth War Graves 22,271 21,990 23,038 23,503 23,498 26,251 28,942 Commission1 Gurkha Welfare Scheme2 300 400 380 460 560 710 800 Welfare Council 67 66 79 43 56 78 58 Victoria and George Cross 0 30 0 22 0 21 0 Association3 Royal British 192 259 185 266 181 205 205 Legion--Polish Ex-Servicemen 4 Royal British Legion--War 147 147 125 100 127 127 127 Graves5 _________________________________________________________________________________________________. 1 The United Kingdom Government provides the Commonwealth War Graves Commission (CWGC) with a grant-in-aid for the maintenance of World War graves. Payment is made by each Commonwealth country in proportion to the number of war graves. The UK's share is 78.431 per cent. 2 The Gurkha Welfare Scheme is the field operating arm of the Gurkha Welfare Trust. 3 The Victoria Cross (VC) and George Cross (GC) Association receives a biennial grant-in-aid to assist recipients (plus two accompanying relatives) to travel to their biennial reunion in London. 4, 5 The Polish Ex-Service Personnel Welfare Fund provides a regular allowance to members of the Polish forces who served under British command during the Second World War and subsequently settled in the UK. The War Widow/ers Pilgrimage Scheme enables widows and widowers who lost their husband or wife overseas between 1914 and 1967 to make one visit to their grave. Both schemes are administered on behalf of the Ministry of Defence by the Royal British Legion.

Secondary information

Type

Written question

Reference

432 c784W; 221976

Session

2004-05

Subjects

Armed forces Grants Ministry of Defence Royal British Legion War graves Commonwealth War Graves Commission Gurkha Welfare Trust Veterans

Contains statistics

Yes

Link

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