§ Mr. LawsTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he expects the detailed qualification criteria for the General Service Medal for those who served in the Suez Canal Zone 1951–54 to be(a) formulated and (b) made public; whether broad qualification criteria will be made public beforehand; and if he will make a statement. [121308]
§ Mr. CaplinMy right hon. Friend the Prime Minister announced on 11 June 2003,Official Report, column 869W, that Suez veterans who served in the Canal Zone between 1951 and 1954 are to be awarded the General Service Medal. Following that announcement the detailed work is now being carried out by the Ministry of Defence for eventual presentation to Her Majesty for approval. It is too early to judge when this work will be concluded.