Asked by: Virendra Sharma (Labour - Ealing, Southall)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether he has had discussions with (a) the Nepalese Government and (b) Gurkha Representatives in the UK on (i) Gurkha pensions and (ii) other entitlements since their meeting in September 2021; and whether he has taken steps to arrange further discussions.
Answered by Andrew Murrison - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence)
Since September 2021, there have been several meetings held between the Ministry of Defence and the Government of Nepal to discuss the UK-Nepal relationship and the formation of the Bilateral Gurkha Committee. I attended the inaugural Bilateral Gurkha Committee meeting on 3 November 2022 alongside His Excellency, Gyan Chandra Acharya, the Ambassador of Nepal, and Gurkha veteran representatives. I have asked MOD officials to work with the Gurkha community and Service charities to fully understand the issues and welfare concerns both in Nepal and here in the UK, with a follow up meeting at official level due to take place later this month.
Asked by: Virendra Sharma (Labour - Ealing, Southall)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether he has had discussions with Cabinet colleagues on uprating Gurkha pensions.
Answered by Andrew Murrison - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence)
The Government greatly values the unique contribution that the Gurkhas have made and continue to make to the UK, and remains committed to providing Gurkhas a fair pension, including uplifts determined by formal review processes.
Gurkha terms and conditions of service were initially set by the 1947 Tripartite Agreement and were altered as the Brigade’s circumstance changed over the years. Since 2007 Gurkhas have served on the same basis as the remainder of the British Army apart from specific conditions to maintain the Brigade of Gurkhas.
Since 2007, Gurkhas have also received the same pension under the Armed Forces Pension Scheme (AFPS) as the rest of the UK Armed Forces. Gurkhas who had served beyond 1997 were given the option to transfer to the Armed Forces Pension Scheme. For those who served prior to 2007, the 1948 Gurkha Pension Scheme (GPS) provides a pension over their lifetime at least as good, and in many cases better, than that given to their British counterparts with identical periods of service. Whilst GPS pensions are smaller, most are paid for longer; from as early as age 33, whereas the AFPS pays a pension only from age 60/65.
The Defence Secretary has not had discussions with Cabinet colleagues regarding uprating legacy Gurkha pensions as retrospective changes or improvements generally are not made to public service pension schemes. This policy applies across the whole of the public sector.
The GPS remains linked to the Indian Army pension scheme. Changes are introduced every 10 years when the Indian Central Pay Commission (CPC) adjusts the levels of pay and pensions for personnel in the Indian Army. A public consultation in 2020/2021 sought views on how the 7th CPC should be implemented in relation to the GPS.
Following the consultation, Ministers decided that 140% of the Indian rates, with a minimum of 10% for those already above 140%, was the most appropriate level to implement the 7th CPC for the GPS.
When the 7th CPC changes were implemented, the government also implemented new groupings and structures for disability pensions. Full information on legacy GPS Disability Pensions is available in the Gurkha Pension Scheme Manual, Chapter Three, available on gov.uk.
The government has also chosen to work with a charity, the Gurkha Welfare Trust (GWT), to provide healthcare for its veterans and their families in Nepal. The GWT is part-funded by a grant-in-aid from MOD, and in 2018, the Army made a grant of £25 million over ten years to the GWT, specifically to improve the provision of healthcare, including secondary care, for our veterans in Nepal.
Asked by: Virendra Sharma (Labour - Ealing, Southall)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will take steps to increase existing Gurkha medical pensions to the British Army rate; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Andrew Murrison - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence)
The Government greatly values the unique contribution that the Gurkhas have made and continue to make to the UK, and remains committed to providing Gurkhas a fair pension, including uplifts determined by formal review processes.
Gurkha terms and conditions of service were initially set by the 1947 Tripartite Agreement and were altered as the Brigade’s circumstance changed over the years. Since 2007 Gurkhas have served on the same basis as the remainder of the British Army apart from specific conditions to maintain the Brigade of Gurkhas.
Since 2007, Gurkhas have also received the same pension under the Armed Forces Pension Scheme (AFPS) as the rest of the UK Armed Forces. Gurkhas who had served beyond 1997 were given the option to transfer to the Armed Forces Pension Scheme. For those who served prior to 2007, the 1948 Gurkha Pension Scheme (GPS) provides a pension over their lifetime at least as good, and in many cases better, than that given to their British counterparts with identical periods of service. Whilst GPS pensions are smaller, most are paid for longer; from as early as age 33, whereas the AFPS pays a pension only from age 60/65.
The Defence Secretary has not had discussions with Cabinet colleagues regarding uprating legacy Gurkha pensions as retrospective changes or improvements generally are not made to public service pension schemes. This policy applies across the whole of the public sector.
The GPS remains linked to the Indian Army pension scheme. Changes are introduced every 10 years when the Indian Central Pay Commission (CPC) adjusts the levels of pay and pensions for personnel in the Indian Army. A public consultation in 2020/2021 sought views on how the 7th CPC should be implemented in relation to the GPS.
Following the consultation, Ministers decided that 140% of the Indian rates, with a minimum of 10% for those already above 140%, was the most appropriate level to implement the 7th CPC for the GPS.
When the 7th CPC changes were implemented, the government also implemented new groupings and structures for disability pensions. Full information on legacy GPS Disability Pensions is available in the Gurkha Pension Scheme Manual, Chapter Three, available on gov.uk.
The government has also chosen to work with a charity, the Gurkha Welfare Trust (GWT), to provide healthcare for its veterans and their families in Nepal. The GWT is part-funded by a grant-in-aid from MOD, and in 2018, the Army made a grant of £25 million over ten years to the GWT, specifically to improve the provision of healthcare, including secondary care, for our veterans in Nepal.
Asked by: Virendra Sharma (Labour - Ealing, Southall)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if his Department will make an estimate of the potential cost to the public purse of equalising (a) pensions and (b) all other pay, allowances and entitlements for Gurkha soldiers to the British Army standard.
Answered by Andrew Murrison - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence)
The Government greatly values the unique contribution that the Gurkhas have made and continue to make to the UK, and remains committed to providing Gurkhas a fair pension, including uplifts determined by formal review processes.
Gurkha terms and conditions of service were initially set by the 1947 Tripartite Agreement and were altered as the Brigade’s circumstance changed over the years. Since 2007 Gurkhas have served on the same basis as the remainder of the British Army apart from specific conditions to maintain the Brigade of Gurkhas.
Since 2007, Gurkhas have also received the same pension under the Armed Forces Pension Scheme (AFPS) as the rest of the UK Armed Forces. Gurkhas who had served beyond 1997 were given the option to transfer to the Armed Forces Pension Scheme. For those who served prior to 2007, the 1948 Gurkha Pension Scheme (GPS) provides a pension over their lifetime at least as good, and in many cases better, than that given to their British counterparts with identical periods of service. Whilst GPS pensions are smaller, most are paid for longer; from as early as age 33, whereas the AFPS pays a pension only from age 60/65.
The Defence Secretary has not had discussions with Cabinet colleagues regarding uprating legacy Gurkha pensions as retrospective changes or improvements generally are not made to public service pension schemes. This policy applies across the whole of the public sector.
The GPS remains linked to the Indian Army pension scheme. Changes are introduced every 10 years when the Indian Central Pay Commission (CPC) adjusts the levels of pay and pensions for personnel in the Indian Army. A public consultation in 2020/2021 sought views on how the 7th CPC should be implemented in relation to the GPS.
Following the consultation, Ministers decided that 140% of the Indian rates, with a minimum of 10% for those already above 140%, was the most appropriate level to implement the 7th CPC for the GPS.
When the 7th CPC changes were implemented, the government also implemented new groupings and structures for disability pensions. Full information on legacy GPS Disability Pensions is available in the Gurkha Pension Scheme Manual, Chapter Three, available on gov.uk.
The government has also chosen to work with a charity, the Gurkha Welfare Trust (GWT), to provide healthcare for its veterans and their families in Nepal. The GWT is part-funded by a grant-in-aid from MOD, and in 2018, the Army made a grant of £25 million over ten years to the GWT, specifically to improve the provision of healthcare, including secondary care, for our veterans in Nepal.
Asked by: Virendra Sharma (Labour - Ealing, Southall)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what disciplinary processes are in place for those honorary officers of the (a) armed or (b) cadet forces accused of criminal offences.
Answered by Leo Docherty - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for the Armed Forces)
Honorary appointments with the Armed Forces or the Cadet Forces are purely honorary representational roles only and those holding such appointments are not formally part of the Armed Forces or the Ministry of Defence (MOD). They are, therefore, not subject to Service Law nor to any MOD disciplinary processes.
Where an honorary member of the Armed Forces or Cadet Forces is accused of a criminal offence, it would fall to the relevant civilian authorities to investigate. In the event of a conviction, the MOD would review an honorary appointment to determine whether it was appropriate for that individual to retain their appointment.
Asked by: Virendra Sharma (Labour - Ealing, Southall)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what steps he is taking in response to concerns raised by Gurkha pension campaigners.
Answered by Leo Docherty - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for the Armed Forces)
I can confirm that the Secretary of State, and I, met with a wide range of Gurkha representative groups and representatives from the Nepali Embassy, including the Nepali Ambassador, on 8th September. We agreed to start a Bilateral Committee to discuss all Gurkha Veteran Welfare issues.The Committee will be an opportunity to discuss Gurkha concerns across the board.
The government agreed to hold a consultation on the implementation of the Indian 7th Central Pay Commission and we will publish our response to this consultation in due course.
It remains this government's view that the pension schemes offered to Gurkha veterans in the past were very fair schemes.
Asked by: Virendra Sharma (Labour - Ealing, Southall)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many Gurkhas (a) are serving during the withdrawal of British armed forces from Afghanistan and (b) have served in that country since 2001.
Answered by James Heappey
No Gurkha units were deployed to Afghanistan to support Operation PITTING. At least 2,890 Gurkhas deployed to Afghanistan between November 2001 and May 2021. An exact number is unavailable as personnel and deployment data held by the Department is incomplete before 2007.
Asked by: Virendra Sharma (Labour - Ealing, Southall)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many breaches of international law in Yemen by Saudi forces and its allies have been documented by his Department in its tracking document since January 2020 to date.
Answered by James Heappey
I am unable to answer the hon. Member's question due to ongoing legal proceedings.
Asked by: Virendra Sharma (Labour - Ealing, Southall)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
What plans his Department has to procure additional F-35 Lightnings; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Jeremy Quin
As set out in the Strategic Defence and Security Review 2015, funding has been approved for the procurement of 48 Lightning aircraft out to 2025. These are being procured in lots and we have taken delivery of 18 aircraft and have contracted for 17 new airframes to be delivered between 2020 and 2022. Negotiations for further lots are ongoing.
Asked by: Virendra Sharma (Labour - Ealing, Southall)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
What assessment he has made of the effect on veteran welfare of closing the Veterans UK Helpline.
Answered by Johnny Mercer - Minister of State (Cabinet Office) (Minister for Veterans' Affairs)
The Veterans UK helpline has not been closed.
The COVID-19 situation has necessitated the delivery of services differently and veterans can still submit written enquiries in the normal manner via email. Call backs and referral to the Veterans Welfare Service are provided where urgent or vulnerable callers are identified.