§ Dr. David ClarkTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence for which Royal Navy gallantry awards Merchant Navy personnel are eligible. [31535]
§ Mr. SoamesMerchant Navy personnel are eligible for the Victoria Cross, the Distinguished Service Cross and mentions in dispatches.
§ Dr. ClarkTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence if Merchant Navy personnel were eligible for Royal Navy gallantry awards other than the Conspicuous Gallantry Medal and the Distinguished Service Order before the practices of awarding the CGM and DSO for gallantry were abandoned. [31537]
§ Mr. SoamesMerchant Navy personnel were eligible for the Victoria Cross, the Distinguished Service Cross, the Distinguished Service Medal and mentions in dispatches before the new regulations governing operational gallantry awards came into force.
§ Dr. ClarkTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence if Merchant Navy personnel are eligible for the Conspicuous Gallantry Cross. [31534]
§ Mr. SoamesNo.
§ Dr. ClarkTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence when the practices of awarding the Distinguished Service Medal, the Conspicuous Gallantry Medal and the Distinguished Service Order for gallantry were abandoned; and who was consulted during the development of these changes. [31536]
§ Mr. SoamesA joint service review of operational gallantry awards was undertaken during 1993.
A number of people were consulted during the course of this review including the Tri-Service Review Body, consisting of a number of senior service personnel of general rank and equivalent and a civilian, the principal personnel officers and the chiefs of staff and the Secretary of State for Defence.
The recommendations were then seen and approved by the Prime Minister before being passed to the Committee on the Grant of Honours Decorations and Medals, who, in turn, submitted the recommendations to the Queen for her approval.
The Queen's formal approval was obtained on 6 September 1993 and the new regulations came into force from that date.