Golden Jubilee Medal (Hansard, 23 October 2001)

§ The Minister of State, Department for Culture, Media and Sport (Baroness Blackstone)
My Lords, under the criteria announced by the then Home Secretary on 15th February, the police will not be eligible to receive the medal. Ministers are considering representations made by, and on behalf of, the police. If there is to be any change in the criteria an announcement will be made.

§ Baroness Howells of St Davids
My Lords, I thank the noble Baroness for her reply. Perhaps I may direct her attention to the words of the noble Lord, Lord McNally, on 15th October. He said: The most abiding memory of the events of the 11th September was the sight of firemen, police and other emergency services going against the flow and going into danger as others fled from it. There is no doubt that if we ever faced a similar attack, we could rely on a similar sense of duty and heroism".—[Official Report, 15/10/01; col. 366] Will the Minister not think again and recommend a medal to every officer, especially as morale is said to be very low in the police force at this time?

§ Baroness Blackstone
My Lords, as the daughter of a chief fire officer, I entirely accept everything that my noble friend has said about the extraordinary bravery of all the emergency services involved in dealing with the terrorist attack in New York on 11th September. However, in this country the police in particular receive recognition for valuable service through bravery awards, civil awards in the New Year and birthday honours lists, the award of the Queen's Police Medal and the award of long service and good conduct medals to mark dedicated and exemplary service; so too, do members of the other emergency services, including the fire service.

§ Lord Dholakia
My Lords, does the Minister accept that sometimes our police forces are called on to perform beyond the call of duty? Is the noble Baroness aware of the valuable work being done by the Metropolitan Police in terms of identifying the British citizens who died on 11th September and in tracing people front all over the world who are missing following the events of that day? Does she further accept that the police have a high profile in terms of 920 defending minorities at this difficult time? Are those not qualities that should command some kind of medal for those who perform beyond the call of duty?

§ Baroness Blackstone
My Lords, I entirely recognise what the noble Lord, Lord Dholakia, has said. I salute the excellent work of the police in New York in the aftermath of 11th September. But, as I have already said, there are a variety of different ways in which this can be recognised; through medals of various different kinds for the police, for the fire and ambulance services and for others who are involved in this kind of work. The Government, after careful thought, decided that eligibility for the award of Jubilee medals next year should be restricted to members of the uniformed Armed Forces, including reserves and the Royal Fleet Auxiliary, who have completed a minimum of live years reckonable service at the time of the 50th anniversary of the Queen's succession.

§ Lord Imbert
My Lords, I am pleased that the noble Baroness, Lady Howells, has asked this Question. I am interested that the Minister's Answer gives a glimmer of hope that the matter will be reconsidered If. I may comment on it—

Noble Lords
Question!

§ Lord Imbert
May I comment on it?

Noble Lords
Question.

§ Lord Imbert
May I say that I find the Answer unsatisfactory in total? The Minister said that t he police can earn the long service and good conduct medals. It takes 22 years before a police officer qualifies for those. I should mention that police officers, like your Lordships, swear an oath of allegiance to Her Majesty the Queen. The Metropolitan Police in particular has a special relationship with Her Majesty and with the Royal Family because it provides them with 24-hour protection. We could also have asked a question about the non-inclusion of the fire service and those wonderful voluntary organisations, the Red Cross and St. John. I realise that the people on the committee which considered this matter, who I suspect never go out at night, would have done so over a cup of coffee and biscuits. I suspect that they found it too administratively difficult.

Noble Lords
Question!

§ Lord Imbert
I hope that there will be reconsideration.

§ Baroness Blackstone
My Lords, let me assure the noble Lord, Lord Imbert, that those who considered this question do go out at night. As I have already indicated, the Government recognise the important role played by all the emergency services in our public life. These decisions are difficult. The Government have said that they will look again at the question. When they have done so, they will make clear what the decision has been.
921 I should also stress that Her Majesty the Queen has said that there should be no undue expenditure on the Jubilee. Any extension of the award of the medal would have to be paid for out of existing budgets so savings would have to be made from elsewhere.

§ Baroness Sharples
My Lords, does the noble Baroness agree that next year is a very special year? Given that we are to celebrate the Golden Jubilee of Her Majesty the Queen, perhaps an extension of the award of the medal should be made.

§ Baroness Blackstone
My Lords, a large number of medals will be awarded to active uniformed members of the armed services. Of course I recognise that next year will be special and many special events will take place: from a classical music concert open to the public in the gardens of Buckingham Palace to a pop concert open to the public also in the gardens of Buckingham Palace; a huge Golden Jubilee carnival pageant is to take place in the Mall; and a musical equestrian tribute is to be staged at the Royal Windsor Horse Show, entitled "All the Queen's Horses", with a cast of 2,000 people and 1,000 horses. So a great deal will be done to celebrate this special year.