Written question asked by Andrew Murrison (Conservative) on Wednesday, 4 March 2009, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Monday, 9 March 2009. It was answered by Douglas Alexander (Labour) on Monday, 9 March 2009 on behalf of the Department for International Development.

Iraq and Afghanistan

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what scheme of compensation exists for his Department's officials injured in (a) Iraq and (b) Afghanistan; and if he will make a statement.

Answer: The Department for International Development (DFID) staff are covered for injury or death when working in hostile environments through the standard benefits of the Civil Service Pension Scheme. These are:"a death benefit lump sum of two or three times annual salary, depending on scheme membership;""payment of widower's or eligible partner's pension (depending on the pension scheme);""injury benefit to bring the employee's income up to a guaranteed level if they are injured while on duty. It may be paid to their dependants if the employee is killed on duty."In addition, for staff working in dangerous locations:"DFID indemnifies existing life or personal accident insurance policies to maximum limit of £300,000 for life insurance and £55,188 for personal accident;""DFID acts as its own insurer for staff with or without existing life/personal accident insurance policies, working in or visiting dangerous locations. There is no defined list of dangerous locations—DFID makes judgments on the merits of individual cases. The compensation limit is up to four times annual salary, paid as an "ex-gratia" payment."

Secondary information