Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask His Majesty's Government whether armed forces personnel engaged in ongoing counterterrorist operations in Northern Ireland are eligible to receive the new Wider Service Medal; and if not, why.

The Wider Service Medal will be retrospective to 11 December 2018, and a small number of operations have already been considered and confirmed as eligible for the medal. Other operational activity that could be within scope for the medal will be considered over the coming months and this might include operational activity in Northern Ireland.