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Veterans plenary
Open Forum Session 1 with Ivor Caplin MP, Minister for Veterans
(Veterans Plenary on 24 March 2004)
Q1) Alan Tizzard - National Service Veterans Alliance
It has been confirmed by the Ministry of Defence that all service personnel serving in the British Army on the Rhine were on active service until the military occupation of Germany ended at midnight on 5th May 1955. I am requesting that those members of the occupying forces have their service record amended as 'On active service'; further, those of the Berlin Brigade until the withdrawal from the City on the re-unification of Germany have their service details amended in the same way.
Minister, on behalf of those of the 2.2 million National Servicemen that the National Service Veterans Alliance represents who have written to the MOD on this issue and have been told, and I quote that 'Those who spent their National Service with the British Army of the Rhine served under peacetime conditions'. May I ask that they be sent a follow-up letter correcting this error?
A1) Ivor Caplin MP: We will need to look into that one and I will write to you shortly.
Q2) Debbie Bowles - War Widows Association
Can you comment on the perception that since April 2003 there has been an introduction of a two-tier system for claiming attributable pensions? One for those on OpTelic and one for others.
A2) Lt General Palmer: If you have specific examples that this is the case I would be grateful if we could discuss this further in private.
Q3) Derek Bristow - Merchant Navy Association
I am really pleased that the Merchant Navy Association has been formally invited to participate in the Veterans Plenary and remain grateful to the Minister for our invitation to be included.
A3) Ivor Caplin MP: I fully respect the vital role of the Merchant Navy in all their valuable work. I would hope that you will be involved in the lead up to the 2005 commemorations of the end of the Second World War.
Q4) Shirley Denson - The Combined Veterans Forum
My husband was a bomber pilot ordered to fly through the 1958 nuclear tests and suffered ill health ever after. This Plenary Forum is a public relations exercise and will not lead to justice or change. This Plenary is not a genuine dialogue and MOD will continue to spin. I do however hope that a change in direction at the MOD is achievable.
A4) Ivor Caplin MP: I have to disagree with most parts of what you just said. We are here to discuss policy and strategy for the future. Before this initiative was started when did the veterans' community previously have £20M to spend on commemorations. As I said in my speech, which will be published on the MOD website today, we must make sure that youngsters today understand the sacrifices and contributions of our Second World War veterans. This is our challenge if we expect the 75th anniversary of the Second World War to be commemorated. This is our collective challenge and we should not ignore it.
Q5) John Jackson - South Atlantic Medal Association
Thank you Minister for assisting in the resolution of the longstanding Incapacity Benefit anomaly and for providing me with the opportunity to go to the Falkland Islands to brief ex-service personnel there about access to war pensions and other welfare state benefits.
Firstly, will War Disablement Pensioners who receive a 1% to 19% award be transitionally protected ie if in five years time will they still be able to request deterioration of an accepted condition using the old war pension system or will they be put onto the incoming pensions and compensation scheme?
Secondly, could more be done to enlighten those who work in Jobcentre Plus about the Veterans Initiative as it is my experience that they are largely unaware?
Finally, Jobcentre Plus is running a new scheme asking partners of clients in vulnerable groups to come into our offices for work focussed interviews. Why are partners veterans in receipt of unsups being excluded from this scheme?
A5) Ivor Caplin MP: I am pleased that we have achieved some measure of success. With regard to your specific points the answers are yes, yes and we will need to look into that.
Q6) Maj Roy Walker - Royal Irish Rangers
Priority treatment for war pensioners for their attributable condition in the NHS is not happening. In particular this is the case in Northern Ireland. It would seem that GPs and local NHS staff are not informed by more senior levels in the NHS.
A6) Ivor Caplin MP: We need to look into that and establish whether it is not working in Northern Ireland.
Q7) Mr George Lakey - British Korean Veterans Association
I would like to thank DSSec(Sec) and in particular John Sinfield for a great day out in London for the 50th anniversary of the end of the Korean war.
A7) Ivor Caplin MP: I have to say that I also enjoyed my time in Seoul. The work we have been doing recently derives from my experiences with the British Korean Veterans Association. We had young soldiers from the honour guard with veterans from the BKVA and it was great to see them together at commemorative events.
Q8) Lt Col Steve Overton - North West War Pensions Committee
I would like to support the point made regarding the necessity to ensure that NHS staff at the coalface are made aware of the need to give priority treatment to war pensioners for their related condition. This is an increasing worry as it seems GPs do not know and I would ask you to do something to remind NHS staff. Secondly, those on the 'Y' list and who then leave the Service owing to a lack of military hospitals seem to fall through the net of Regimental care and this is particularly the case in the North West. This group is seen not to be cared for or supported by those who employ them.
A8) Ivor Caplin MP: I would first like to thank the work of the War Pension Committees who do a marvellous job. I have addressed the point regarding priority treatment in the NHS and agreed to look into that. On the second point we are as we speak reviewing the operation of the 'Y' list with the aim of making this more effective.
Q9) Cyril Blackburn - Suez Veterans Association
We are concerned about the slow issue of the General Service Medal. The Royal Navy Medal office has received 1571 claims and only issued 100 medals. Can you gee things up at the medals offices and where necessary provide more staff?
A9) Ivor Caplin MP: There have been problems checking eligibility, but a list of ships that were in the area has now been drawn up. We have put in place a new team to administer the issue of the medal and there is a need to check eligibility to ensure the correct people get the medal. Please continue to be patient, all those who are entitled will receive a medal as soon as possible.
