HC Deb 10 April 1968 vol 762 c276W
Captain Orr

asked the Secretary of State for Defence why he will not extend the monetary award for holders of the Military Medal to include those who earned the award in the 1914–18 war.

Mr. Boyden

There are believed to be over 30,000 surviving holders of the Military Medal from the First World War. It would cost nearly £600,000 to award a gratuity to this number and a further £150,000 annually to pensioners, and I do not think such a large expenditure of defence funds could be justified. If payment were also extended to dependants the cost and administrative difficulties would be further increased.