§ Sir John Biggs-Davisonasked the Secretary of State for Defence what provision is made for the dependants of Ulster Defence Regiment personnel who are injured or killed.
§ Mr. WigginThe dependants of full-time members of the Ulster Defence Regiment who are killed in Northern Ireland are entitled to the same non-effective benefits as the dependants of regular service men. The widow receives an amount equivalent to her husband's salary for a period of 91 days from the date of his death, or for 182 days if she has one or more dependent children. A death180W grant and an additional gratuity are paid by the Ministry of Defence. Index-linked pensions are paid by the Department of Health and Social Security and Ministry of Defence to widows and to dependant children.
The dependants of part-time members of the Ulster Defence Regiment who are killed are entitled to the same non-effective benefits as the dependants of members of the Territorial Army or other reserve forces. These are payable at the regular rates except that the Ministry of Defence awards take account of any pensionary benefits paid to dependants by civil employers. When members of the Ulster Defence Regiment are injured they may be entitled to a range of Department of Health and Social Security and Ministry of Defence awards based on their rank and degree of disability, but awards are not made to dependants.
Compensation in the form of a lump sum is payable under the Criminal Injuries Compensation Scheme for Northern Ireland, administered by the Northern Ireland Office, to the victims or the dependants of victims of crimes of violence, including terrorist activity.
In addition to these provisions from public funds, assistance amy also be provided to dependants from the Army benevolent fund and the Ulster Defence Regiment benevolent fund. The latter was set up in 1972 to make immediate grants to widows or dependants of serving members of the regiment who are killed or wounded and to assist serving and retired members or their dependants who are in need. The trustees of the fund recently launched an appeal with the objective of raising £1 million by the end of the year so as to enable larger grants to be made. Contributions should be sent to the Ulster Defence Regiment headquarters at Lisburn in Northern Ireland.