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Ministry of Defence

Answer

Mr. Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will set up an ex-gratia scheme to deal with claims for Gulf War-related illnesses; and if he will make a statement. [204942] Mr. Caplin: The Ministry of Defence does not consider that there is a case or justification for making ex-gratia payments to 1990-91 Gulf veterans and thus giving one group of veterans more favourable treatment than others who served in different conflicts. Gulf veterans can and do receive compensation in the form of war pensions and attributable armed forces pensions which are already available to ex-servicemen who suffer illness or injury as a result of their service. The number of veterans in receipt of war pensions or gratuities for unspecified, symptomatic Gulf-related illnesses is approximately 1,400, less than 3 per cent. of the personnel who served in the Gulf. Additionally, only some 100 claimants have failed to receive an award for Gulf-related illnesses, not the 272 stated in the recent report of the unofficial investigation by Lord Lloyd of Berwick. On 29 November 2004, Official Report, column 354, I announced that the Ministry of Defence will investigate and review these approximately 100 cases where they can be identified.

Secondary information

Type

Written question

Reference

204942; 428 c1371-2W;428 c1371W

Session

2004-05

Subjects

Compensation Diseases Gulf War syndrome Ex gratia payments Veterans

Contains statistics

Yes

Link

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