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Written Question
Military Decorations
Wednesday 9th June 2021

Asked by: Ian Blackford (Scottish National Party - Ross, Skye and Lochaber)

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and Minister for the Cabinet Office, what the status is of the submission on behalf of the Campaign for the Harmonisation of Criteria for Both Versions of the Accumulated Campaign Service Medal which was received by AMSC, SW1A 2HQ, on 15 January 2021.

Answered by Julia Lopez - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)

The assessment of historic medals claims is a matter for the independent Advisory Military Sub-Committee (AMSC). Campaigners can be assured their case is under review and recommendations will be made as soon as possible.


Written Question
Members' Interests
Thursday 29th April 2021

Asked by: Ian Blackford (Scottish National Party - Ross, Skye and Lochaber)

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and Minister for the Cabinet Office, when he plans to publish the second Register of Ministers' Interests from 2020.

Answered by Chloe Smith

The Prime Minister yesterday announced the appointment of Rt Hon Lord Geidt to serve as the Independent Adviser on Ministers’ Interests. The Independent Adviser oversees the production of a List of Ministers' Interests, and the next publication will occur once Lord Geidt has concluded that process.


Written Question
Nuclear Weapons: Testing
Tuesday 8th September 2020

Asked by: Ian Blackford (Scottish National Party - Ross, Skye and Lochaber)

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether the Advisory Military Sub Committee plans to review all cases relating to nuclear test veterans.

Answered by Chloe Smith

Further to the answer given on 9 March 2020, campaigners can be assured their case is under review and recommendations will be made as soon as possible.


Written Question
Committee on the Grant of Honours, Decorations and Medals
Thursday 25th July 2019

Asked by: Ian Blackford (Scottish National Party - Ross, Skye and Lochaber)

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, on how many occasions the reformed Advisory Military Sub Committee has met.

Answered by Oliver Dowden - Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster

The reformed Advisory Military Sub-Committee, with a new independent membership under the chairmanship of Dr Charles Winstanley, held its first meeting in May 2019.


Written Question
Military Decorations
Tuesday 19th February 2019

Asked by: Ian Blackford (Scottish National Party - Ross, Skye and Lochaber)

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, will the medal submissions previously submitted to the 2012 Medal Review be automatically reconsidered by the new Advisory Military Sub-Committee of the Honours and Decorations Committee without having to be resubmitted.

Answered by Chloe Smith

The process for assessing historic medals claims will be a matter for the independant Advisory Military Sub-Committee and will be announced by the Cabinet Office in due course.


Written Question
Committee on the Grant of Honours, Decorations and Medals: Public Appointments
Tuesday 19th February 2019

Asked by: Ian Blackford (Scottish National Party - Ross, Skye and Lochaber)

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, who has been appointed as the new Independent Chairperson of the Advisory Military Sub-Committee of the Honours and Decorations Committee.

Answered by Chloe Smith

Dr Charles Winstanley TD DL has been appointed as the independant Chair of the Advisory Military Sub-Committee, following a public appointments process. Independant members will be appointed shortly.


Written Question
Committee on the Grant of Honours, Decorations and Medals
Thursday 6th December 2018

Asked by: Ian Blackford (Scottish National Party - Ross, Skye and Lochaber)

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, who took the decision to re-open the Advisory Military Sub-Committee of the Honours and Decorations Committee.

Answered by Chloe Smith

Both the Cabinet Office and the Ministry of Defence have received requests from campaigners for either historic decisions on the award of medals to be reconsidered, or for new claims to be considered. It is for these reasons that the Committee on the Grant of Honours, Decorations and Medals recommended to Her Majesty The Queen that the Advisory Military Sub-Committee be re-instituted earlier this year. Her Majesty graciously agreed to their request.

Details of the Sub-Committee's independent membership and terms of reference will be announced by the Cabinet Office in due course


Written Question
Committee on the Grant of Honours, Decorations and Medals
Thursday 6th December 2018

Asked by: Ian Blackford (Scottish National Party - Ross, Skye and Lochaber)

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, for what reason the decision was taken to re-open the Advisory Military Sub-Committee of the Honours and Decorations Committee.

Answered by Chloe Smith

Both the Cabinet Office and the Ministry of Defence have received requests from campaigners for either historic decisions on the award of medals to be reconsidered, or for new claims to be considered. It is for these reasons that the Committee on the Grant of Honours, Decorations and Medals recommended to Her Majesty The Queen that the Advisory Military Sub-Committee be re-instituted earlier this year. Her Majesty graciously agreed to their request.

Details of the Sub-Committee's independent membership and terms of reference will be announced by the Cabinet Office in due course


Written Question
Committee on the Grant of Honours, Decorations and Medals
Thursday 6th December 2018

Asked by: Ian Blackford (Scottish National Party - Ross, Skye and Lochaber)

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, when the decision was taken to re-open the Advisory Military Sub-Committee of the Honours and Decorations Committee.

Answered by Chloe Smith

Both the Cabinet Office and the Ministry of Defence have received requests from campaigners for either historic decisions on the award of medals to be reconsidered, or for new claims to be considered. It is for these reasons that the Committee on the Grant of Honours, Decorations and Medals recommended to Her Majesty The Queen that the Advisory Military Sub-Committee be re-instituted earlier this year. Her Majesty graciously agreed to their request.

Details of the Sub-Committee's independent membership and terms of reference will be announced by the Cabinet Office in due course


Written Question
Cabinet Office: Cambridge Analytica and SCL Group
Monday 9th April 2018

Asked by: Ian Blackford (Scottish National Party - Ross, Skye and Lochaber)

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether he has met representatives of (a) SCL Group, (b) Strategic Communication Laboratories and (c) Cambridge Analytica.

Answered by David Lidington

Departments publish quarterly details of Ministers’ meetings with external organisations on GOV.UK. Cabinet Office returns can be viewed using the following link:

https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/ministers-transparency-publications.