§ Commander Purseyasked the Minister of Defence if he will state the war medals, meritorious or long service, available to other ranks in each of the three defence Services, the number of present holders of each medal in each service, the amount of gratuity, annuity or pension authorised for each class of medal, and the number of holders who have received the gratuity, or are receiving the annuity or pension.
§ Mr. ThorneycroftThe answer is as follows:
205W3. The monetary awards accompanying each Medal are:
(a) Victoria Cross (i) Special Pension of £100 a year. (ii) An additional 6d. a day (£9 2s. 0d. a year) if in receipt of a Service or disability pension. (b) Military Cross (i) A gratuity of £20 on appointment to a commission or on discharge without pension Distinguished Conduct Medal Distinguished Flying Cross (ii) An additional 6d. a day (£9 2s. 0d. a year) if in receipt of a Service or disability pension. Conspicuous Gallantry Medal (Flying) Distinguished Flying Medal (iii) An additional gratuity of £20 is awarded for each bar to the Medal. (c) Conspicuous Gallantry Medal (Naval) As at (b) above, but applicable only to awards after 2nd September, 1939. Distinguished Service Medal Military Medal (d) Meritorious Service Medal (Royal Navy). An annuity of £10, subject to the total of annuities not exceeding £400, excluding increases payable under the Pensions Increase measures. (e) Meritorious Service Medal (Army) An annuity of £10, subject to the total of annuities not exceeding £7,500 excluding increases payable under the Pensions Increase measures. (f) Long and Meritorious Service Annuity (Royal Air Force). An annuity of £10, subject to the total of annuities not exceeding £2,000 excluding increases payable under the Pensions Increase measures. (g) British Empire Medal No monetary award. (h) Long Service and Good Conduct Medal. (i) Royal Navy A gratuity of £20 on award after 15 years' qualifying service and, on discharge to pension, £1 for each additional year of qualifying service. (ii) Army and Royal Air Force A gratuity of £5 on promotion to a commission or on promotion to Warrant Officer Class I (Warrant Officer in the Royal Air Force) or on discharge.
4. The number who have received the monetary awards is not known in all cases and could not be ascertained without considerable research. However, it can be stated: (a) All those entitled to a gratuity have been paid the gratuity or will be paid when they have fulfilled the requisite conditions. (b) All the 112 holders of the Victoria Cross receive the special pension of £100 a year. In addition, 42 are in receipt of service or disability pension and receive the additional 6d. a day (£9 2s. 0d. a year). (c) Of the 236 Royal Navy personnel awarded the Meritorious Service Medal, 40 are in receipt of the annuity and of the 5,700 Army other ranks, 750 receive the annuity. (d) The Royal Air Force Long and Meritorious Service Annuity (no Medal is awarded) is an annuity of £10, payable to ex-airmen on attaining age 65, who were discharged in the rank of Sergeant, or above, and who had completed at least 22 years' Regular service and had been awarded the Long Service and Good Conduct Medal, The number of annuities is restricted to 200. The number of ex-airmen who fulfil the basic conditions (other than the age qualification) is estimated to be 1,000.
§ Commander Purseyasked the Minister of Defence if he will state the present total annual allocation of money for each of the medals with a gratuity, annuity or pension, in each of the three defence Services; and what further allocation would be required in each Service to pay all holders of medals the gratuity, annuity or pension authorised.
§ Mr. ThorneycroftThe answer is as follows
1. With the exception of the special pension paid to holders of the Victoria Cross and the annuities payable to holders of Meritorious Service awards, there is no specific allocation of money for each of the medals attracting a gratuity, annuity or pension.2. The sum allocated for the Victoria Cross special pension accords with the number of present holders. In the Royal Navy this sum amounts to £300; the Army £10,800 and the Royal Air Force £100.206W3. (a) The amounts allocated by each of the three Defence Services to pay annuities, on the existing basis, to holders of meritorious service awards, are shown below:
£ Royal Navy … … … 800 Army … … … 15,000 Royal Air Force … … … 4,000 (b) The additional allocations which would be required in order to pay annuities to all personnel of the Royal Navy and the Army awarded the Meritorious Service Medal and to all those of the Royal Air Force nominally eligible (other than having fulfilled the age qualification) for the Meritorious Service Annuity, are estimated to be:
£ Royal Navy … … … 4,000 Army … … … 95,000 Royal Air Force … … … 19,000 NOTE.—The figures under (a) and (b) above include increases payable under the Pensions Increase measures. 207W
(c) All recipients of medals, for which at the time of the award a gratuity or pension was payable, have received the gratuity or pension, or will receive it when they fulfil the requisite conditions.(d) With regard to the Conspicuous Gallantry Medal (Naval), the Distinguished Service Medal and the Military Medal, which if awarded in respect of service prior to 3rd September, 1939, did not attract the financial benefits attached to awards made in respect of service on and after that date, it is not possible to estimate, without very considerable research and inquiry, the cost of paying the gratuity or additional pension to holders awarded these medals prior to 3rd September, 1939. It can be said, however, that the sum involved would be considerable.