HC Deb 23 November 1977 vol 939 cc813-4W
Mr. Channon

asked the Secretary of State for Defence in view of the fact that in certain cases the Governments of Commonwealth countries apply more restrictive conditions for the granting of war disability pensions than do Her Majesty's Government, if he will in these circumstances take on the responsibility for the payment of pensions to British officers and soldiers who would have been entitled to pensions if they had served in British units.

Mr. Duffy

I am not aware of any specific restrictive conditions under which Commonwealth countries operate their pension schemes. The terms and conditions of these are of course the responsibility of the countries concerned. It would be improper for my Department to offer to bear expenditure out of funds voted by this House and pay disability pensions where Commonwealth countries pension schemes are not comparable with the Armed Forces Pension Scheme.