§ Mr. DismoreTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on progress on the review of the War Pensions Scheme. [81484]
§ Mr. Doug HendersonThe War Pensions Scheme is the responsibility of my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Social Security.
The MOD and DSS are currently reviewing arrangements for compensation service personnel or their bereaved where disablement or death is due to service in the Forces. The aim is to make proposals for a new compensation scheme that could replace the current War Pension Scheme and the attributable provisions of the Armed Forces Pension Scheme. The War Pension Scheme would, however, remain available for those who have already left the Armed Forces including current war pensioners.
We expect the review to report in the Summer. A separate review is being conducted into the main provision of the Armed Forces Pension Scheme, for which the Secretary of State for Defence is responsible. We expect recommendations to emerge around the end of this year.