§ Mr. MullinTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence what pension or other payments will be made(a) to the relatives of British service men killed in the Gulf war, and (b) to service men disabled in the Gulf war.
§ Mr. Archie HamiltonPensions and other benefits are payable in respect of casualties of the Gulf conflict under the provisions of the armed forces pension scheme.
In respect of personnel killed these take the form of lump sums and a pension to an eligible widow(er), with an additional pension in respect of each eligible child up to a maximum of four; where there is no eligible widow(er), benefits in respect of any eligibile children are increased. A lump sum is payable into the estate of a service man or service woman who leaves neither an eligible widow(er) nor an eligible child.
Personnel invalided as the result of injury which is attributable to service receive a lump sum or sums and, where disability is assessed at 20 per cent. or more or qualifying service given is at least two years, a pension.
The amounts payable are related to service rank held and also, in the case of personnel discharged as the result of injury, to the assessed degree of disability. In certain circumstances the length of service given is also relevant.
411WBenefits are also payable under the provisions of the war pensions scheme administered by the Department of Social Security.