§ Angus RobertsonTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many people were recruited to the armed forces since January for(a) each of the recruitment posts in Scotland, (b) England, (c) Wales and (d) Northern Ireland: and if he will make a statement. [129220]
§ Mr. CaplinStatistics for officer recruitment are not broken down by region. The numbers of other rank enlistments for all three Services in each month since January 2003 are detailed in the following table.
of my statement to the House of 15 September 2003, Official Report, columns 39–40WS. I can confirm that there will be no effect on existing war pensioners. Decisions on whether a condition was caused or significantly aggravated by service will be evidence-based, using a 'balance of probabilities' standard of proof. This is in line with the approach of the civil courts and other modern compensation arrangements. All decisions will be appealable to a fully independent tribunal.