Defence written question – answered at on 15 March 2011.
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence
(1) what the terms of reference are of the cross-Government task force on Gurkha veterans and their families; and whether the task force is to examine (a) pensions and (b) other welfare payments to Gurkha veterans;
(2) what the date was of the most recent meeting of the cross-Government task force on Gurkha veterans; and on what date the next meeting of the task force is scheduled;
(3) which Government departments participate in the cross-Government task force on Gurkha veterans and their families;
(4) whether organisations representing Gurkha veterans have been consulted by the cross-Government task force on issues affecting Gurkha veterans and their families.
The aim of the Cross Government Working Group, which was convened following the immigration changes in 2009, was to ensure that ex-Gurkhas in Nepal were able to make an informed decision to come to the UK and if they did so, that there was an end-to-end process to make their settlement as smooth as possible. The Working Group consisted of the Ministry of Defence (MOD), the UK Border Agency, the Department for Work and Pensions, the Department of Local Community and Government, the Department of Health, the Department for Children, Schools and Families, the Cabinet Office, the Foreign Office and Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs. The issues of pension and welfare payments were not examined by the Working Group. All ex-Gurkhas who settle in the UK are entitled to apply for the full range of state benefits, if they are unable to work. There are no plans to review this. The Working Group met three times, most recently on
The Cross Government Working Group is being reconvened with a new aim of looking beyond the issue of the settlement process. It will consider what options are available for specific communities who are experiencing strains due to large numbers of ex-Gurkhas and their families who have settled in these areas.
The MOD provided extensive briefing in 2009 and 2010 for both service charities and ex-Gurkha organisations, in the UK and Nepal, on the work of the Cross Government Working Group.
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