D-day Anniversary (Hansard, 22 April 1994)

§ Mr. Nicholas Winterton
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what discussions he has had with ex-service men's organisations about financial barriers faced by veterans to participation in celebrations of the 50th anniversary of D-day; what proposals he has to make financial assistance available to such veterans; and if he will make a statement.

§ Mr. Hanley
My Department has no formal responsibility for ex-service men's or widows' organisations, which are privately funded, and we are not therefore in a position to provide financial assistance to those who wish to travel to the 50th anniversary commemorations.
There is, however, separate provision in the form of the widows grant-in-aid scheme which has been running for 10 years. The scheme provides financial assistance to those widows who lost their husbands overseas between 1914 and 1967 to make one visit to the grave or memorial as appropriate.

§ Mr. Nicholas Winterton
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what estimate he has made of the numbers of veterans of D-day who are currently living; what assessment he has made of the numbers of those veterans who would welcome the opportunity to visit the site of their involvement; and what specific action he is taking to facilitate such visits.

§ Mr. Hanley
The number of D-day veterans who are currently living is not known. There are some 9,000 to 10,000 members of the Normandy Veterans Association, but there will be other D-day veterans who are not members of the NVA.
The level of interest in those events being managed by my Department, both in the Portsmouth area and in Normandy, is high. We have had over 12,000 applications for tickets for the ceremonies in Normandy. The numbers in the Portsmouth area are difficult to judge because one of the events—the Drumhead service on Southsea common on the morning of 5 June 1994—is open to the general public.
Although veterans and veterans' organisations should make their own arrangements for transport and accommodation, my Department is liaising with the appropriate authorities in Portsmouth and in Normandy to ensure they have a successful visit.