§ Mr. Alfred Morrisasked the Secretary of State for Defence (1) if any consideration has been given by the South Atlantic Fund to making cash payments to Service men who were wounded in the Falklands conflict to compensate them for the backdating of the loss of London weighting allowance during periods of hospitalisation since their return;
(2) how many Service men who were wounded in the Falklands conflict have suffered cuts in pay through loss of the London weighting allowance during periods of hospitalisation since their return; how many there are in each regiment or other branches of Her Majesty's Services; what has been the maximum stoppage, through backdating loss of allowance in any particular case; and what was the saving in expenditure from the stoppages.
§ Mr. WigginThe London pay supplement for Service men working in London ceases, under current rules, after the twenty-eighth day of any longer period of absence through sick leave or medical treatment; payment resumes on return to duty in London. Forty-four Army personnel injured in the Falklands—but no Navy or RAF personnel—lost their entitlement to London pay; 35 of 105W these have since returned to duty in London. To date the maximum sum involved in any particular case is £234.30 and the total amount involved is £3,848.20.
I have arranged a change in the rules so that when a London based Service man is in hospital, on sick leave or undergoing medical treatment, he will continue to receive London pay supplement. This change will be backdated to 1 April 1982.