Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether he plans to meet Gurkha veterans' representative groups to discuss the effects of historical pension inequality; and if he will make a statement.

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 8 September 2021 We agreed to start the Bilateral Committee to discuss all Gurkha Veteran Welfare issues in December. The Committee will be an opportunity to discuss Gurkha welfare concerns across the board.

It remains this Government's view that the pension schemes offered to Gurkha veterans in the past were very fair schemes.