§ Mr. GibbTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list his reasons for excluding the police from awards of the Queen's Golden Jubilee Medal. [18507]
§ Mr. CabornI have been asked to reply.
As I announced on Tuesday 4 December, the Government have decided that eligibility for the Golden Jubilee medal should be extended to include members of the emergency services the police, fire and ambulance services, the Coastguard, the Royal National Lifeboat Institution, and the Mountain Rescue service. As is the case for the armed forces and the Royal Fleet Auxiliary, the medal will be issued to serving members who have completed a minimum of five years' reckonable service on 6 February 2002.
A copy of the announcement has been placed in the Libraries of both Houses.