I thank my right hon. Friend very much for campaigning on this issue, which I know attracts support across the House. I will certainly take personal charge of the matter and make sure that the veterans receive the recognition they deserve.

Long ago in a far off place, thousands of British servicemen sailed into what was for them the unknown as they witnessed the early tests of nuclear weapons. They have lived with the consequences of that service to our nation ever since. Following a question to the Prime Minister from the hon. Member for Salford and Eccles (Rebecca Long Bailey), he agreed to meet us and those veterans. Will he now assure the House that he will take personal charge of the decision on whether to grant the remaining servicemen—for there are few left—the service medal they so richly deserve?

The Platinum Jubilee Medal eligibility criteria were agreed across Government, the devolved administrations and Crown Dependencies, confirmed by the Committee on the Grant of Honours, Decorations and Medals and approved by Her Majesty. Individual Government departments are responsible for eligibility decisions regarding the award of the Medal to their staff and other organisations sponsored by that department.

Frontline emergency services personnel who have been in paid service, retained or in a voluntary capacity through a National Health Service ambulance trust, who publicly face the prospect of dealing with emergencies as part of their conditions of service and have completed five full calendar years of service on 6 February 2022 are eligible for the Platinum Jubilee medal. There is no intention to change the eligibility criteria for the Platinum Jubilee Medal, which follows the precedent set for the Diamond Jubilee.

The Platinum Jubilee Medal eligibility criteria were agreed across Government, the devolved administrations and Crown Dependencies, confirmed by the Committee on the Grant of Honours, Decorations and Medals and approved by Her Majesty. Individual Government departments are responsible for eligibility decisions regarding the award of the Medal to their staff and other organisations sponsored by that department.

Frontline emergency services personnel who have been in paid service, retained or in a voluntary capacity through a National Health Service ambulance trust, who publicly face the prospect of dealing with emergencies as part of their conditions of service and have completed five full calendar years of service on 6 February 2022 are eligible for the Platinum Jubilee medal. There is no intention to change the eligibility criteria for the Platinum Jubilee Medal, which follows the precedent set for the Diamond Jubilee.

The Government is totally committed to championing our veterans, and ensuring they have the support they need to thrive in civilian life. We recently launched a new Veterans' Strategy Action Plan, which sets out our commitments to the veteran community.

To mark the 70th anniversary of Her Majesty The Queen’s accession, a commemorative medal, the Platinum Jubilee Medal, will be awarded to those serving in the Armed Forces and certain other public services on 6th February 2022, and who have completed the required five years’ service. This approach is consistent with that taken for the Diamond Jubilee Medal in 2012.

The Platinum Jubilee medal is a commemoration of Her Majesty's Platinum Jubilee and only personnel Serving on the 6 February 2022, the seventieth anniversary of Her Majesty The Queen's accession, are eligible. This follows the precedent of previous Jubilee medals. The medal is commemorative and not intended as a recognition of past Service and is not an award for either long or valuable Service, which are recognised in other ways.

The five-year service qualifying criteria, which has been agreed across the government, Devolved Administrations and Crown Dependencies, has been determined on the basis of the precedent for previous commemorative Jubilee medals.

Of the volunteers you ask about, only Royal National Lifeboat Institute volunteers are eligible for the Platinum Jubilee Medal.

To qualify for The Queen’s Platinum Jubilee Medal recipients must be in an eligible public sector role in a frontline emergency service accessed via a call to the 999 emergency telephone number, or equivalent.

Individual departments, the Devolved Administrations and Crown Dependencies are responsible for applying the criteria and making eligibility decisions regarding the award of the Medal to their staff and other organisations that fall under their sponsorship. The criteria are in line with that of the Diamond Jubilee Medal in 2012.

Of the volunteers you ask about, only Royal National Lifeboat Institute volunteers are eligible for the Platinum Jubilee Medal.

To qualify for The Queen’s Platinum Jubilee Medal recipients must be in an eligible public sector role in a frontline emergency service accessed via a call to the 999 emergency telephone number, or equivalent.

Individual departments, the Devolved Administrations and Crown Dependencies are responsible for applying the criteria and making eligibility decisions regarding the award of the Medal to their staff and other organisations that fall under their sponsorship. The criteria are in line with that of the Diamond Jubilee Medal in 2012.

Of the volunteers you ask about, only Royal National Lifeboat Institute volunteers are eligible for the Platinum Jubilee Medal.

To qualify for The Queen’s Platinum Jubilee Medal recipients must be in an eligible public sector role in a frontline emergency service accessed via a call to the 999 emergency telephone number, or equivalent.

Individual departments, the Devolved Administrations and Crown Dependencies are responsible for applying the criteria and making eligibility decisions regarding the award of the Medal to their staff and other organisations that fall under their sponsorship. The criteria are in line with that of the Diamond Jubilee Medal in 2012.

Of the volunteers you ask about, only Royal National Lifeboat Institute volunteers are eligible for the Platinum Jubilee Medal.

To qualify for The Queen’s Platinum Jubilee Medal recipients must be in an eligible public sector role in a frontline emergency service accessed via a call to the 999 emergency telephone number, or equivalent.

Individual departments, the Devolved Administrations and Crown Dependencies are responsible for applying the criteria and making eligibility decisions regarding the award of the Medal to their staff and other organisations that fall under their sponsorship. The criteria are in line with that of the Diamond Jubilee Medal in 2012.

Of the volunteers you ask about, only Royal National Lifeboat Institute volunteers are eligible for the Platinum Jubilee Medal.

To qualify for The Queen’s Platinum Jubilee Medal recipients must be in an eligible public sector role in a frontline emergency service accessed via a call to the 999 emergency telephone number, or equivalent.

Individual departments, the Devolved Administrations and Crown Dependencies are responsible for applying the criteria and making eligibility decisions regarding the award of the Medal to their staff and other organisations that fall under their sponsorship. The criteria are in line with that of the Diamond Jubilee Medal in 2012.

I am sorry to inform the hon. Lady that it is not in my power to award medals.

As we have already heard, the nuclear test veterans are a group of elderly individuals and, sadly, many of them have already passed away. It is in the Secretary of State’s power to award medals at this point. Will he do so?

To qualify for The Queen’s Platinum Jubilee Medal recipients must be in an eligible public sector role in a frontline emergency service. This does not include volunteers in the Samaritans. Equally, volunteers in the UK vaccination effort are not eligible for the Medal.

The Government does however recognise the extraordinary contributions made by people across communities in response to the pandemic, and notes the outstanding work of Samaritans’ volunteers.

The Prime Minister has announced that the government will establish a UK Commission on COVID Commemoration to consider the appropriate way to remember those who have lost their lives and to recognise those involved in the unprecedented response across all critical sectors. The Government will set out the Commission membership and terms of reference in due course.

To qualify for The Queen’s Platinum Jubilee Medal recipients must be in an eligible public sector role in a frontline emergency service. This does not include volunteers in the Samaritans. Equally, volunteers in the UK vaccination effort are not eligible for the Medal.

The Government does however recognise the extraordinary contributions made by people across communities in response to the pandemic, and notes the outstanding work of Samaritans’ volunteers.

The Prime Minister has announced that the government will establish a UK Commission on COVID Commemoration to consider the appropriate way to remember those who have lost their lives and to recognise those involved in the unprecedented response across all critical sectors. The Government will set out the Commission membership and terms of reference in due course.

The Platinum Jubilee Medal is a one-off commemorative medal awarded to all eligible public servants who are serving front-line members of the police, fire, emergency services, prison services and the Armed Forces. The Merchant Navy Medal for Meritorious Service is a state award for those who have served in the Merchant Navy and fishing fleets of the United Kingdom, the Isle of Man, the Channel Islands and the British overseas territories. It is awarded to those who have shown devotion to duty and exemplary service which has been of particular value and an outstanding example to others. It is awarded annually and limited to a maximum of twenty medals per year.

Platinum Jubilee Medal will be awarded to serving frontline members of the police, fire, emergency services, prison services and Armed Forces with five years’ service. Those in the Merchant Navy, apart from eligible members of the Royal Fleet Auxiliary, are not eligible. The Merchant Navy and fishing fleets will of course continue to be recognised through the Merchant Navy Medal for Meritorious Service state award.

The Platinum Jubilee Medal is a commemorative medal, and as with previous Jubilee medals, is awarded to those serving at the time of the anniversary of Her Majesty The Queen’s accession. It is not an award for either long or valuable service which are recognised in other ways.