§ Mr.Paul FlynnTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many and what percentage of the total Ghurkha forces in the years 1997 to 2003, leaving the armed forces before 15 years maximum service,(a) left voluntarily,(b) were made redundant, (c) had their employment terminated for other operational reasons, (d) were invalided out and (e) left for other reasons. [130360]
§ Mr. CaplinAll data in the tables are taken from the soldiers' Record of Service.
Data given are for Ghurkha other ranks only as there are no officers that fall into the categories described in the question.
Of the 50 shown as having completed service before 15 years in years 1997–98, 1998–99 and 1999–2000, inquiries through the Army Personnel Centre have revealed several individuals were actually made redundant and are therefore in receipt of a pension as a
1165Wresult of the drawdown. Virtually all of the remaining individuals are in receipt of a pension either because they received condonation of service to increase their reckonable service to 15 years or are in receipt of other types of pension as appropriate (Liberalised Family Pension or Ordinary Family Pension).