§ Mr. SawfordTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence what plans he has to award a general service medal to veterans of the Suez emergency. [157987]
§ Dr. MoonieThe Suez operation of 1956 is recognised by the "Near East" clasp to the General Service Medal. There are no plans to institute a medal for the earlier period of emergency from 1951 onwards. The then Under-Secretary of State for Defence my hon. Friend the Member for Warley (Mr. Spellar), reviewed the matter in 1998 and found no evidence that he believed would enable him to persuade the Committee on the Grant of Honours, Decorations and Medals to overturn their policy of non-retrospection, or to revoke any of the decisions made at the time or following various Departmental reviews since 1990. No such evidence has subsequently come to light.