To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, where his Department has found delays in
the processing of injured veteran's claims in the War Pension and Armed Forces Compensation
Scheme claim process.
<p>Each claim is different. Many are complex. It is inevitable that processing these
can take a considerable time, for example while evidence is gathered from third party
organisations and individuals.<br><br>In the case of the War Pension Scheme, there
are no time limits for claiming, and claims for injuries dating back to World War
Two are still being received. Assessing these claims involves locating 70 year old
paper records, both Service and medical, and often requires a person to be medically
examined so that a decision can be made based on up-to-date evidence. We attach much
importance to dealing with all such claims as quickly as possible. Improvements have
already been implemented and work is ongoing to further speed up the claims processing
times.</p>
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what Veterans UK policy is on prioritising
the compensation claims of armed forces veterans with more serious illnesses or injuries.
<p>The Ministry of Defence (MOD) attaches importance to ensuring that claims for compensation
which are particularly deserving are treated as a priority. Veterans UK administers
the War Pension and Armed Forces Compensation Schemes. Within both Schemes, compensation
claims from, or in relation to, Armed Forces veterans are treated as a priority where
they are identified by the caseworker as 'seriously injured or vulnerable Service
leavers' (as decided through the single Service welfare cells), or are diagnosed terminally
ill, or have died in Service or have claimed a number of serious medical conditions
in their application.</p><p>These claims are subject to an accelerated process, marked
as 'Priority' and treated as such at all stages of the administrative process. They
are settled at the earliest opportunity once a decision has been taken.</p><p>In Armed
Forces Compensation cases Veterans UK's objective is to make a decision and clear
the case within 20 working days of the last piece of evidence being received. This
aim has been achieved for at least the last four years.</p>
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what change there has been in the time
taken to process War Pension and Armed Forces Compensation Scheme claims since 2010.
<p>The combined effects of the implementation of the Boyce Review on the Armed Forces
Compensation Scheme (AFCS) and the increase in the number of applications for War
Disablement Pension, as a result of more people with pre-April 2005 Service reaching
the end of their engagement, led to delays in processing prospective claims for these
schemes.</p><p> </p><p>Actions were therefore put in place which had the effect of
reducing the on-hand cases in the AFCS by half and the programme has returned to target.
In War Disablement Pension the on-hand cases have fallen by 35% and waiting times
have reduced.</p><p> </p><p>The average length of time taken to process War Pension
and Armed Forces Compensation Scheme claims since 2010 can be found below:</p><p>
</p><p>WAR PENSIONS SCHEME</p><p> </p><p>2010-11 - 39 working days</p><p>2011-12 -
51 working days</p><p>2012-13 - 82 working days</p><p>2013-14 - 110 working days</p><p>2014-15
(as at 21 October 2014) - 103 working days</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>ARMED FORCES COMPENSATION
SCHEME</p><p> </p><p>2010-11 - 93 working days</p><p>2011-12 - 125 working days</p><p>2012-13
- 164 working days</p><p>2013-14 - 109 working days</p><p>2014-15 (as at 21 October
2014) - 89 working days</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>
</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>
</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p>
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what assessment he has made of the factors
responsible for delays in processing injured Armed Forces veterans' War Pension and
Armed Forces Compensation Scheme claims.
<p>The combined effects of the implementation of the Boyce Review on the Armed Forces
Compensation Scheme (AFCS) and the increase in the number of applications for War
Disablement Pension, as a result of more people with pre-April 2005 Service reaching
the end of their engagement, led to delays in processing prospective claims for these
schemes.</p><p> </p><p>Actions were therefore put in place which had the effect of
reducing the on-hand cases in the AFCS by half and the programme has returned to target.
In War Disablement Pension the on-hand cases have fallen by 35% and waiting times
have reduced.</p><p> </p><p>The average length of time taken to process War Pension
and Armed Forces Compensation Scheme claims since 2010 can be found below:</p><p>
</p><p>WAR PENSIONS SCHEME</p><p> </p><p>2010-11 - 39 working days</p><p>2011-12 -
51 working days</p><p>2012-13 - 82 working days</p><p>2013-14 - 110 working days</p><p>2014-15
(as at 21 October 2014) - 103 working days</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>ARMED FORCES COMPENSATION
SCHEME</p><p> </p><p>2010-11 - 93 working days</p><p>2011-12 - 125 working days</p><p>2012-13
- 164 working days</p><p>2013-14 - 109 working days</p><p>2014-15 (as at 21 October
2014) - 89 working days</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>
</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>
</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p>
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what information his Department holds on
the number of former Gurkhas who left service on or after 1 July 1997 and transferred
to Armed Forces Pension Scheme who are receiving less benefit than if they had remained
in the Gurkha Pension Scheme.
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how often his Department makes contact
with former service personnel who served in Iraq and Afghanistan and left the armed
forces with life-changing injuries to inquire about their welfare.
<p>The Government believes that the country owes a particular debt of gratitude to
those Service personnel who suffer life-changing injuries.<br><br>The Ministry of
Defence therefore continues to improve the support that it offers to such personnel.
In particular we now operate a Seriously Injured Leavers Protocol (SIL) which aims
to ensure the identification of and ongoing support for, those Service leavers deemed
likely to be medically discharged due to a severe physical or mental disablement.<br><br>This
identification is based upon defined major disabling medical criteria, whilst the
support is organised through the closer working of MOD in-Service and post Service
welfare groups. The MOD’s Veterans Welfare Service proactively intervenes for 24 months
and then maintains contact as required but at least yearly on the anniversary of discharge.
Full details of the SIL protocol are available at the following website: http://www.veterans-uk.info/welfare/protocol_new.html</p>
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what recent progress he has made on encouraging
access to credit unions for members of the armed forces and their families; and if
he will make a statement.
<p>Further to the answer I gave the hon. Member on 6 October 2014, Question UIN 208271
refers, we continue to make progress on this issue. As stated previously, we fully
endorse existing, strong credit unions expanding their membership to the Armed Forces
community.</p><p> </p><p>I met Lord Kennedy on 15 October 2014 to discuss the matter
of credit unions for members of the Armed Forces. I confirmed that the facilitation
of payroll deduction for credit unions is technically possible and our payroll provider
is engaged with officials to scope and cost such deductions. Further work is under
way to determine the criteria for access to this facility, and to develop an education
campaign for our personnel to enable them to make informed financial choices.</p><p>
</p><p> </p>
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, on how many occasions in (a) 2013 and (b)
2014 commanding officers have requested legal advice following allegations of (i)
sexual assault, (ii) exposure, (iii) voyeurism, (iv) sexual activity in a public lavatory
and (v) other forms of sexual misconduct; and if he will make a statement.
<p>The information requested is given below. No allegations of sexual activity in
a public lavatory resulted in a request for legal advice from a Commanding Officer.</p><p>
</p><table><tbody><tr><td><p><strong>Offence</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>2013</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>2014</strong></p><p><strong>until
24 October</strong></p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Sexual Assault</p></td><td><p>65</p></td><td><p>48</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Exposure</p></td><td><p>5</p></td><td><p>3</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Voyeurism</p></td><td><p>4</p></td><td><p>1</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Other
Sexual Misconduct</p></td><td><p>61</p></td><td><p>29</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Total</p></td><td><p>135</p></td><td><p>81</p></td></tr></tbody></table><p>
</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p>
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many allegations of (a) sexual assault,
(b) exposure, (c) voyeurism, (d) sexual activity in a public lavatory, (e) rape and
(f) other forms of sexual misconduct have been recorded by the Crime Statistics and
Analysis Cell in each month since April 2014 relating to the (i) Army, (ii) Navy,
(iii) RAF and (iv) reservists; and if he will make a statement.
<p>The table shows the number of allegations of rape, sexual assault, exposure, voyeurism,
and other forms of sexual misconduct, recorded by the Service police in each month
since April 2014 up to 24 October 2014, broken down by Service.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>
</p><table><tbody><tr><td><p>Month/Service</p></td><td><p>April 2014</p></td><td><p>May
2014</p></td><td><p>June 2014</p></td><td><p>July 2014</p></td><td><p>August 2014</p></td><td><p>September
2014</p></td><td><p>October 2014</p></td></tr><tr><td colspan="8"><p><strong>Number
Of Rape Allegations</strong></p></td></tr><tr><td><p>British Army</p></td><td><p>4</p></td><td><p>2</p></td><td><p>1</p></td><td><p>3</p></td><td><p>2</p></td><td><p>2</p></td><td><p>1</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Royal
Navy</p></td><td><p>0</p></td><td><p>0</p></td><td><p>1</p></td><td><p>0</p></td><td><p>0</p></td><td><p>0</p></td><td><p>0</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Royal
Air Force</p></td><td><p>0</p></td><td><p>0</p></td><td><p>0</p></td><td><p>0</p></td><td><p>0</p></td><td><p>1</p></td><td><p>0</p></td></tr><tr><td
colspan="8"><p><strong>Number Of Sexual Assault (By Penetration) Allegations</strong></p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Month/Service</p></td><td><p>April
2014</p></td><td><p>May 2014</p></td><td><p>June 2014</p></td><td><p>July 2014</p></td><td><p>August
2014</p></td><td><p>September 2014</p></td><td><p>October 2014</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>British
Army</p></td><td><p>0</p></td><td><p>0</p></td><td><p>0</p></td><td><p>0</p></td><td><p>0</p></td><td><p>1</p></td><td><p>1</p></td></tr><tr><td
colspan="8"><p><strong>Number Of Sexual Assault (No Penetration) Allegations</strong></p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Month/Service</p></td><td><p>April
2014</p></td><td><p>May 2014</p></td><td><p>June 2014</p></td><td><p>July 2014</p></td><td><p>August
2014</p></td><td><p>September 2014</p></td><td><p>October 2014</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>British
Army</p></td><td><p>3</p></td><td><p>3</p></td><td><p>1</p></td><td><p>2</p></td><td><p>2</p></td><td><p>2</p></td><td><p>1</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Royal
Navy</p></td><td><p>0</p></td><td><p>0</p></td><td><p>0</p></td><td><p>1</p></td><td><p>1</p></td><td><p>1</p></td><td><p>2</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Royal
Air Force</p></td><td><p>0</p></td><td><p>0</p></td><td><p>1</p></td><td><p>0</p></td><td><p>0</p></td><td><p>0</p></td><td><p>0</p></td></tr><tr><td
colspan="8"><p><strong>Number of Exposure Allegations</strong></p></td></tr><tr><td><p>British
Army</p></td><td><p>1</p></td><td><p>0</p></td><td><p>0</p></td><td><p>0</p></td><td><p>0</p></td><td><p>1</p></td><td><p>0</p></td></tr><tr><td
colspan="8"><p><strong>Number Of Voyeurism Allegations</strong></p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Month/Service</p></td><td><p>April
2014</p></td><td><p>May 2014</p></td><td><p>June 2014</p></td><td><p>July 2014</p></td><td><p>August
2014</p></td><td><p>September 2014</p></td><td><p>October 2014</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>British
Army</p></td><td><p>0</p></td><td><p>1</p></td><td><p>0</p></td><td><p>0</p></td><td><p>0</p></td><td><p>0</p></td><td><p>0</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Royal
Air Force</p></td><td><p>0</p></td><td><p>0</p></td><td><p>0</p></td><td><p>0</p></td><td><p>0</p></td><td><p>1</p></td><td><p>0</p></td></tr><tr><td
colspan="8"><p><strong>Number Of Other Sexual Offences Under The Sexual Offences Act
2003 Allegations</strong></p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Month/Service</p></td><td><p>April
2014</p></td><td><p>May 2014</p></td><td><p>June 2014</p></td><td><p>July 2014</p></td><td><p>August
2014</p></td><td><p>September 2014</p></td><td><p>October 2014</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>British
Army</p></td><td><p>0</p></td><td><p>1</p></td><td><p>1</p></td><td><p>0</p></td><td><p>0</p></td><td><p>1</p></td><td><p>1</p></td></tr></tbody></table><p>Notes:
The table only details investigations where the appropriate Service police have jurisdiction
and investigative lead.</p><p>The allegation recorded against each Service is that
of the victim.</p><p> </p><p>No such allegations have been reported to the Service
police in respect of sexual activity in public lavatory or from any of the Reserve
Forces for the period detailed in the above tables.</p><p> </p>
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many service leavers resident in Northern
Ireland have received further and higher educational support under the Service Leavers
Scheme funded by his Department.
<p>No service leavers who reside in Northern Ireland have benefitted from the Scheme
as Northern Ireland was classified as an overseas location.</p><p> </p><p>However,
I am pleased to say that action is in hand to amend the legislation governing the
Scheme to extend provision to Northern Ireland service leavers. We anticipate this
coming into effect from September 2015.</p>