§ Mr. Ashleyasked the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his reply to the right hon. Member for Stoke-on-Trent, South, Official Report, 14 April, c. 955, if he will detail the compensation arrangements which are available should volunteers suffer in any way as a result of their connection with the youth training scheme in the armed forces; if they will be able to seek similar compensation to that which can be obtained by civilians; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. BlakerA participant in the armed services youth training scheme whose service is terminated by occasion of a disability attributable to his service will receive the following benefits related to his degree of disability. Both the pensions paid by the Ministry of Defence and the war pension paid by the Department of Health and Social Security are index-linked; and both pensions and all lumps sums are paid tax free.
Ministry of Defence* Department of Health and Social Security† Degree of disability Lump sum award Service pension Lump sum award War pension per cent. £ £pa £ £pa 100 3,383 1,447 — 2,795 90 3,086 1,401 — 2,515 80 2,788 1,356 — 2,236 70 2,491 1,062 — 1,956 60 2,193 1,017 — 1,677 50 1,896 971 — 1,397 40 1,599 777 — 1,118 30 1,301 731 — 838 20 1,004 686 — 559 15–19 409 — 3,443‡ — 6–14 409 — 1,970‡ — 1–5 409 — 887‡ — Notes: * Rates as at April 1982; April 1983 rates have not yet been promulgated. † Rates as at November 1982. ‡ For a disability of indeterminate duration. The widow of a youth volunteer whose death is attributable to his service will receive the following benefits. All pensions are index-linked and those from the Department of Health and Social Security are paid tax free, as are the lump sums paid by the Ministry of Defence.
£ Ministry of Defence* Lump sum 7,435 Widow's pension 2,215 Child's pension (per child maximum of 4) 595 Department of Health and Social Security‡ War widow's pension (with no children) 514 War Widow's pension (with children) 2,226 Child's pension (per child no maximum) 586 Notes: * Rates as at April 1982; April 1983 rates have not yet been promulgated. † Rates as at November 1982. The provisions of section 10 of the Crown Proceedings Act 1947 which prevent members of the armed forces in 331W certain prescribed circumstances from suing the Crown or other members of the armed forces will also apply to youth volunteers.