§ Sir Bernard Braineasked the Secretary of State for Defence how many applicants have still not received their World War II medals; what is the longest wait any of them have so far experienced; what is the reason for the delay; and whether steps can now be taken to speed up the issue of such medals.
§ Dr. GilbertSome 12,000 applicants are still awaiting their medals. The wait-ting time is about two years in the case of the Army, which receives the bulk of the applications, and substantially less in the case of the other Services. Many who were eligible for medals neglected to apply in the immediate post-war years, but more recently there has been an upsurge of interest. Priority is given to the issue of medals to personnel who are currently serving and to the processing of applications for World War I medals. Financial constraints rule out any possibility of taking on extra staff at the Army Medal Office, but I hope that there may be some improvement in the situation following a recent reorganisation.