§ Mr. ThurnhamTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many service personnel have been invalided out because of injuries in each of the last 10 years.
§ Mr. Archie HamiltonThe number of service personnel invalided out because of injuries in each of the last 10 years for which figures are available is as follows:
67W
Number 1980 168 1981 144 1982 123 1983 166 1984 231 1985 343 1986 295 1987 201 1988 249 1989 276
§ Mr. ThurnhamTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will review the rate of pensions and the method of awarding them to wounded members of the armed forces who are invalided out.
§ Mr. Archie HamiltonMembers of the armed forces who are invalided as the result of wounds or other causes which are attributable to service are eligible for lump sums, pensions and allowances in accordance with the provisions of the armed forces pension scheme administered by the Ministry of Defence and of the war pensions scheme administered by the Department of Social Security.
Lump sums and rates of pension awarded under the armed forces pension scheme are related to the assessed degree of disability, the rank held, and the rates of pay in force at the time of invaliding. They are tax-free. Pensions in issues are index-linked from the date of the award by reference to movements in the retail prices index.
There are no plans to change these arrangements.