Asked by: Daniel Kawczynski (Conservative - Shrewsbury and Atcham)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many applications have been made to the War Widows Recognition Payment Scheme in each month since it was announced.
Answered by Andrew Murrison - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence)
The War Widow(er)s Recognition Payment Scheme has received 330 applications and accepted and paid 209 claims since it was launched on 16 October 2023. Of those, 90 per cent of all claims have been processed and 97 per cent of payments made to those eligible within the published timescales. The Recognition Payment Scheme is delivering effectively to those it was established to recognise.
The shortest time taken between an application being received and a payment being made was 19 working days and the longest 88 working days, with an average of 56 working days.
The below table shows the number of applications made to the War Widow(er)s Recognition Payment Scheme in each month since it was launched on 16 October 2023.
Month | Number of applications received |
October 2023 | 165 |
November 2023 | 86 |
December 2023 | 25 |
January 2024 | 15 |
February 2024 | 22 |
March 2024 | 10 |
April 2024 | 6 |
May 2024 | 1 |
Total | 330 |
The scheme is administered by a dedicated team of six staff, and application support is available through the Veterans Welfare Service (VWS).
Asked by: Daniel Kawczynski (Conservative - Shrewsbury and Atcham)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many staff in his Department work on the War Widows Recognition Payment Scheme.
Answered by Andrew Murrison - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence)
The War Widow(er)s Recognition Payment Scheme has received 330 applications and accepted and paid 209 claims since it was launched on 16 October 2023. Of those, 90 per cent of all claims have been processed and 97 per cent of payments made to those eligible within the published timescales. The Recognition Payment Scheme is delivering effectively to those it was established to recognise.
The shortest time taken between an application being received and a payment being made was 19 working days and the longest 88 working days, with an average of 56 working days.
The below table shows the number of applications made to the War Widow(er)s Recognition Payment Scheme in each month since it was launched on 16 October 2023.
Month | Number of applications received |
October 2023 | 165 |
November 2023 | 86 |
December 2023 | 25 |
January 2024 | 15 |
February 2024 | 22 |
March 2024 | 10 |
April 2024 | 6 |
May 2024 | 1 |
Total | 330 |
The scheme is administered by a dedicated team of six staff, and application support is available through the Veterans Welfare Service (VWS).
Asked by: Lord Godson (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government how many (1) UK–Israeli citizens, and (2) IDF veterans or serving personnel, the UK Border Force detained for questioning in the periods (a) October 2023 to present, (b) October 2022–October 2023, and (c) October 2021–October 2022.
Answered by Lord Sharpe of Epsom - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office)
Border Force does not publish information on operational activities. Doing so would publicise operational practices which would be used to assist in the evasion of customs controls and compromise border security.
However, the Home Office published data can be found at the following link: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/65d887a154f1e70011165914/passengers-refused-entry-border-datasets-dec-2023.xlsx.
Asked by: Lord Godson (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government how many individuals entering the UK from Israel or Palestine, who are not UK–Israeli citizens or IDF veterans or serving personnel, the UK Border Force detained for questioning in the periods (1) October 2023 to present, (2) October 2022–October 2023, and (3) October 2021–October 2022.
Answered by Lord Sharpe of Epsom - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office)
Border Force does not publish information on operational activities. Doing so would publicise operational practices which would be used to assist in the evasion of customs controls and compromise border security.
However, the Home Office published data can be found at the following link: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/65d887a154f1e70011165914/passengers-refused-entry-border-datasets-dec-2023.xlsx.
Asked by: Daniel Kawczynski (Conservative - Shrewsbury and Atcham)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the (a) shortest, (b) average and (c) longest time taken is between application to and a payment under the War Widows Recognition Payment Scheme.
Answered by Andrew Murrison - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence)
The War Widow(er)s Recognition Payment Scheme has received 330 applications and accepted and paid 209 claims since it was launched on 16 October 2023. Of those, 90 per cent of all claims have been processed and 97 per cent of payments made to those eligible within the published timescales. The Recognition Payment Scheme is delivering effectively to those it was established to recognise.
The shortest time taken between an application being received and a payment being made was 19 working days and the longest 88 working days, with an average of 56 working days.
The below table shows the number of applications made to the War Widow(er)s Recognition Payment Scheme in each month since it was launched on 16 October 2023.
Month | Number of applications received |
October 2023 | 165 |
November 2023 | 86 |
December 2023 | 25 |
January 2024 | 15 |
February 2024 | 22 |
March 2024 | 10 |
April 2024 | 6 |
May 2024 | 1 |
Total | 330 |
The scheme is administered by a dedicated team of six staff, and application support is available through the Veterans Welfare Service (VWS).
Asked by: Daniel Kawczynski (Conservative - Shrewsbury and Atcham)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of the War Widows Recognition Payment Scheme.
Answered by Andrew Murrison - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence)
The War Widow(er)s Recognition Payment Scheme has received 330 applications and accepted and paid 209 claims since it was launched on 16 October 2023. Of those, 90 per cent of all claims have been processed and 97 per cent of payments made to those eligible within the published timescales. The Recognition Payment Scheme is delivering effectively to those it was established to recognise.
The shortest time taken between an application being received and a payment being made was 19 working days and the longest 88 working days, with an average of 56 working days.
The below table shows the number of applications made to the War Widow(er)s Recognition Payment Scheme in each month since it was launched on 16 October 2023.
Month | Number of applications received |
October 2023 | 165 |
November 2023 | 86 |
December 2023 | 25 |
January 2024 | 15 |
February 2024 | 22 |
March 2024 | 10 |
April 2024 | 6 |
May 2024 | 1 |
Total | 330 |
The scheme is administered by a dedicated team of six staff, and application support is available through the Veterans Welfare Service (VWS).
Asked by: Daniel Kawczynski (Conservative - Shrewsbury and Atcham)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many applications have been (a) made to, (b) approved by and (c) paid by the War Widows Recognition Payment Scheme.
Answered by Andrew Murrison - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence)
The War Widow(er)s Recognition Payment Scheme has received 330 applications and accepted and paid 209 claims since it was launched on 16 October 2023. Of those, 90 per cent of all claims have been processed and 97 per cent of payments made to those eligible within the published timescales. The Recognition Payment Scheme is delivering effectively to those it was established to recognise.
The shortest time taken between an application being received and a payment being made was 19 working days and the longest 88 working days, with an average of 56 working days.
The below table shows the number of applications made to the War Widow(er)s Recognition Payment Scheme in each month since it was launched on 16 October 2023.
Month | Number of applications received |
October 2023 | 165 |
November 2023 | 86 |
December 2023 | 25 |
January 2024 | 15 |
February 2024 | 22 |
March 2024 | 10 |
April 2024 | 6 |
May 2024 | 1 |
Total | 330 |
The scheme is administered by a dedicated team of six staff, and application support is available through the Veterans Welfare Service (VWS).
Asked by: Martin Docherty-Hughes (Scottish National Party - West Dunbartonshire)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what steps he is taking to increase representation of women in veteran support services.
Answered by Johnny Mercer - Minister of State (Cabinet Office) (Minister for Veterans' Affairs)
This Government understands that, whilst the majority of women veterans go on to lead successful post-service lives, and the challenges they face are often the same as for men, the experiences and needs of women are sometimes different.
That is why we are developing the Government’s first Women Veterans’ Strategy, which will celebrate the successes of women veterans, but will also look at specific challenges they may face, in order to better address their needs.
As well as looking at the experiences of women who have served in the UK Armed Forces, the Strategy will recognise their contribution to society and identify what further tailored support could be provided, which includes considering the accessibility of support services.
Asked by: John Healey (Labour - Wentworth and Dearne)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many (a) armed forces personnel, (b) civil servants in his Department and (c) veterans have been affected by personal data incidents affecting MOD suppliers in each year since 2010.
Answered by Andrew Murrison - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence)
The information is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
Asked by: Hilary Benn (Labour - Leeds Central)
Question to the Northern Ireland Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what steps his Department is taking to ensure legal representation is made available to police veterans called to the Omagh Bombing Inquiry.
Answered by Chris Heaton-Harris - Secretary of State for Northern Ireland
Policing in Northern Ireland is a devolved matter but we understand PSNI will be providing legal support to retired police officers called to give evidence to the Omagh Bombing Inquiry.