HC Deb 25 May 2004 vol 421 cc1615-6W
Mr. Hancock

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when the case for awarding an Arctic medal was last reviewed; by whom it was done; at whose request; and if he will make a statement. [175062]

Mr. Caplin

A review of the case for the retrospective institution of a new medal specifically to recognise wartime service in Arctic waters was carried out by the Ministry of Defence earlier this year at the request of my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister.

The conclusion of that review remained that there was no case that could or should be put to the HD Committee for an Arctic Convoy Medal and I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave in the House on 1 March 2004, Official Report, column 595W, to my hon. Friend the Member for Nottingham, North (Mr Allen).

Mr. Luff

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to his answer of 26 April 2004,Official Report, column 728W, to the hon. Member for North Cornwall (Mr. Tyler) on the Suez Medal, what practical constraints limit the issuing of the Suez Canal Zone General Service Medal; and if he will establish a timetable for the completion of distribution to current applicants. [175422]

Mr. Caplin

The constraints are numbers of trained personnel, availability of machinery and funding. It is not practical to establish a timetable for Canal Zone medal applications as each case is unique and it is not possible to say in advance how long it will take to determine each applicant's eligibility for the medal.