HC Deb 05 March 1951 vol 485 cc27-8
48. Brigadier Clarke

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs if he will recommend to the United Nations organisation that all troops fighting for the United Nations should get equal pay and disability allowances and equal compensation for widows.

54. Brigadier Medlicott

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs if he will recommend to the United Nations organisation that all troops, sailors and airmen fighting under the United Nations Command should get equal pay.

The Minister of State (Mr. Younger)

No, Sir. Forces sent to Korea by member States in response to the Security Council recommendation of 27th June, 1950, are paid and maintained by their Governments on the scales appropriate to the Armed Forces of each country involved. Any attempt to produce uniformity in these matters throughout all the national contingents serving in this operation would, even if it were desirable, involve very great administrative and financial difficulties.

Brigadier Clarke

Does the Minister not appreciate that our Service personnel are fighting not for Great Britain but for the United Nations, and will he forget the administrative difficulties and try to give these men equal pay, equal disability allowances, and equal pensions?

Mr. Younger

I should have thought that the hon. and gallant Gentleman, with his Service experience, would realise the very serious difficulties that would be involved if certain of our Forces serving abroad were operating under one system and certain under another.

Brigadier Medlicott

Ought not this matter to be looked at again, from the point of view of the men themselves? After all, we have overcome the enormous difficulties involved in building up an integrated international force, and surely we can now overcome what ought to be the lesser difficulty of dealing fairly with the men in this matter.

Mr. Younger

I think it will be very difficult to do anything of this kind unless we had reached a point of having Forces directly employed and paid from a common budget under the United Nations.