HC Deb 09 March 2004 vol 418 cc1406-7W
Mr. Nigel Jones

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether(a) HMS Roebuck, (b) HMS Whirlwind and (c) HMS Wakeful served in the Suez Canal Zone for four months in each year from 1953 to 1955; whether veterans who served on those ships have an entitlement to the Suez Canal Zone Clasp; and how many veterans of the three ships have received the Canal Zone Clasps. [157477]

Mr. Caplin

Although records indicate that the ships were present in the Mediterranean and/or Gulf of Suez areas at intervals between October 1951 and October 1954, it has yet to be established whether they meet the qualifying criteria of 30 days continuous service in the Canal Zone area that is necessary to qualify for the award of the Naval General Service Medal with 'Canal Zone' clasp. Only once a ship's eligibility has been established will it be possible to assess each veteran's application to ascertain their individual eligibility. No medals or clasps have yet been issued to veterans of HMS Roebuck, HMS Whirlwind or HMS Wakeful.

Mr. Hoyle

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many Suez Canal Zone medals have been awarded to date in each Lancashire constituency. [157563]

Mr. Caplin

I refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave on 5 November 2003,Official Report, column 634W. Over 4,400 medals and Canal Zone clasps have now been despatched to eligible veterans and their families throughout the United Kingdom.

Mr. Gerald Howarth

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many campaign medals for those who served in the Suez Canal Zone between 1951 and 1954 have been issued since the decision was made to make this award. [156832]

Mr. Caplin

As at 20 February 2004 a total of 4,086 Naval General Service Medals 1915–62 and General Service Medals 1918–62 with the clasp Canal Zone, plus a further 321 clasps without medals, where the claimants had already received the medal with an appropriate clasp for other military campaign service had been despatched.

Mr. Gerald Howarth

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many complaints his Department has received from ex-service personnel and their families who have applied for the campaign medal for those ex-service personnel who served in the Suez Canal Zone between 1951 and 1954 about delays in the processing of their claims. [156928]

Mr. Caplin

In recent months the Ministry of Defence has received over 34,000 applications for the new Canal Zone medal. In addition, the medal offices and secretariat branches which deal with this subject have received several hundred letters and an unquantifiable number of telephone calls from veterans or their families asking for some indication of the progress of their claim. Fewer than 50 letters or calls could be described as 'complaints' and once the situation has been explained to them the majority of correspondents have been satisfied with the response.