§ Miss McIntoshTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence what representations he has received concerning the(a) pay, (b) pension and (c) service conditions of Gurkhas serving with British defence forces; and if he will make a statement. [106413]
§ Dr. MoonieSince 1 October 2002, we have received representation from six hon. Members about Gurkha pensions and 11 hon. Members about Gurkha 737W conditions of service more generally. We have also received enquiries from 25 members of the public and a petition of 445 signatures which seeks enhancements to Gurkha pension arrangements.
Gurkha terms and conditions of service are unique and reflect the status of Gurkhas as Nepalese citizens, recruited and discharged in Nepal. In a recent High Court ruling, Gurkha pay and pensions arrangements were judged to be fair and non-discriminatory. Inter alia, the Court noted that Gurkha remuneration is broadly in line with the pay of British personnel and that Gurkha pensions, available after only 15 years of service, compare favourably with professional salaries in Nepal. Although claims relating to Gurkha accompanied service provisions were also dismissed, we recognise that the current arrangements are a cause for concern and are therefore studying these aspects of the ruling very carefully.