Asked by: Andrew Murrison (Conservative - South West Wiltshire)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what his planned timetable is for publication of the response to the financial award section of the LGBT Veterans Independent Review, published on 19 July 2023.
Answered by Al Carns - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for Veterans)
I am pleased to say that on 12 December 2024, during a debate held in Parliament, the Secretary of State announced that the LGBT Financial Recognition Scheme would be launched on 13 December 2024, with a budget of £75 million. This Scheme intends to provide recognition to those impacted by the Ban.
Asked by: Andrew Murrison (Conservative - South West Wiltshire)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 26 November 2024 to Question 14931 on War Widows Pension Scheme, how many (a) spouses and (b) civil partners have claimed compensation via the War Widows Pension Scheme.
Answered by Al Carns - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for Veterans)
The number of widows' or widowers' claims under the War Pension Scheme (WPS) claims relating to Camp Lejeune is not centrally held.
War Pensions Scheme statistics, including for the War Widows Pension Scheme, are published on gov.uk at the following link:
https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/war-pensions-scheme-statistics-2024
Asked by: Andrew Murrison (Conservative - South West Wiltshire)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 20 November 2024 to Question 13744 on USA: Veterans, what platforms his Department has used to encourage (a) Service personnel, (b) veterans and (c) dependents previously based in Camp Lejeune to write to his Department for advice.
Answered by Al Carns - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for Veterans)
The Department has released several statements encouraging those who think they may have been affected by contaminated water at Camp Lejeune to contact the Department, through an article on Gov.uk, and on the Department’s social media accounts on platforms such a X. Again, it is worth noting that the US compensation scheme was in place for almost two years before the new Ministerial team were notified and took swift action.
I once again encourage anyone who was based at Camp Lejeune between 1 August 1953 and 31 December 1987 to write to the Ministry of Defence so that we may provide them with the appropriate advice. We take the safety of our personnel very seriously and any veteran that may have served at Camp Lejeune during this period and believe that their health was affected can apply for compensation under the War Pension Scheme.
Asked by: Andrew Murrison (Conservative - South West Wiltshire)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what access to compensation from his Department family members of UK service personnel stationed at Camp Lejeune have for illness resulting from contamination.
Answered by Al Carns - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for Veterans)
I once again encourage anyone who was based at Camp Lejeune between 1 August 1953 and 31 December 1987 to write to the Ministry of Defence so that we may provide them with advice.
The contamination of water at Camp Lejeune was known for almost two years before this was brought to the attention of the new Ministerial team. I will continue to advocate for our Service personnel, veterans, and their families where they have been affected.
For spouses and civil partners of Service personnel, they may be able to claim through the War Widows Pension scheme, should they be eligible, and support can be provided to dependants via the Veterans Welfare Services. Further details for both can be found at Gov.uk
Asked by: Andrew Murrison (Conservative - South West Wiltshire)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answers of 6 November to Questions 11571 and 11572 on USA: Veterans, what epidemiological studies he plans to commission for (a) service personnel and (b) dependents who may have been contaminated while living at Camp Lejeune.
Answered by Al Carns - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for Veterans)
We take the safety of our personnel very seriously and any veteran that may have served at Camp Lejeune during this period and believes that their health was affected can apply for compensation under the War Pension Scheme. It is worth noting that the US compensation scheme was running for almost two years before the new Ministry of Defence (MOD) Ministerial team were informed.
The MOD does not currently plan to commission epidemiological studies for Service personnel and dependants who may have been exposed to contaminated water while living at Camp Lejeune.
The MOD does not hold information on British personnel affected by water contamination at US Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune between 1953 and 1987; however, we are making every effort to ensure Serving personnel and veterans are aware of their rights moving forward. I continue to encourage anyone who was based at Camp Lejeune between 1 August 1953 and 31 December 1987 to write to the MOD so that we may provide them with advice.
Asked by: Andrew Murrison (Conservative - South West Wiltshire)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answers of 6 November to Questions 11571 and 11572 on USA: Veterans, how many Camp Lejeune veterans have applied through the War Pension Scheme.
Answered by Al Carns - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for Veterans)
It is worth noting that the US compensation scheme was running for almost two years before the new MOD Ministerial team were informed. The information requested is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
Asked by: Andrew Murrison (Conservative - South West Wiltshire)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answers of 28 October 2024 to Questions 4187, 4188, and 4189 on USA: Veterans, whether he has held discussions with veterans organisations on encouraging Camp Lejeune veterans to come forward if they believe they have been affected by contaminated water.
Answered by Al Carns - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for Veterans)
We take the safety of our personnel very seriously and any veteran that may have served at Camp Lejeune during this period and believe that their health was affected can apply for compensation under the War Pension Scheme.
The US compensation scheme had been running for almost two years at the point it was raised on 30 July 2024 to the new Ministerial team. Immediate instruction was given to Service Chiefs to communicate the scheme to anyone who may have been based at Camp Lejeune between 1 August 1953 and 31 December 1987, as well as on Ministry of Defence external channels.
Asked by: Andrew Murrison (Conservative - South West Wiltshire)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answers of 28 October 2024 to Questions 4187, 4188, and 4189 on USA: Veterans, what steps his Department is taking to encourage Camp Lejeune veterans to come forward if they believe they have been affected by contaminated water.
Answered by Al Carns - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for Veterans)
It is worth noting that the US compensation scheme had been running for almost two years at the point it was raised on 30 July 2024 to the new Ministerial team.
On notification, I immediately instructed the Ministry of Defence to release several statements encouraging those who think they may have been affected by contaminated water at Camp Lejeune to contact the department. This was done through an article on Gov.uk, on the Department’s social media accounts and internally through Veterans UK and all three Services.
Asked by: Andrew Murrison (Conservative - South West Wiltshire)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 28 October 2024 to Question 4189 on USA: Veterans, how many Camp Lejeune veterans have contacted his Department as a result of the encouragement cited.
Answered by Al Carns - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for Veterans)
The US compensation scheme for those affected by contaminated water at Camp Lejeune had been running for almost two years at the point it was raised on 30 July 2024 to the new Ministerial team.
The Ministry of Defence has received three pieces of Ministerial Correspondence from relatives of veterans and veterans, one letter direct from a veteran and nine Freedom of Information Requests on the matter.
I once again encourage anyone who was based at Camp Lejeune between 1 August 1953 and 31 December 1987 to write to the Ministry of Defence so that we may provide them with advice. We take the safety of our personnel very seriously and any veteran that may have served at Camp Lejeune during this period and believe that their health was affected can apply for compensation under the War Pension Scheme.
Asked by: Andrew Murrison (Conservative - South West Wiltshire)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of opening another application period for compensation of British personnel affected by the Camp Lejeune water contamination.
Answered by Al Carns - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for Veterans)
Once I was made aware, on 30 July this year, of the Camp Lejeune US compensation scheme which was available from August 2022, direction was sent through the Department to encourage those who think they may have been affected by the contaminated water at Camp Lejeune to reach out for support. I encourage anyone who was based at Camp Lejeune between 1 August 1953 and 31 December 1987 to write to the Ministry of Defence so that we may provide them with advice.
We take the safety of our personnel very seriously and any veteran that may have served at Camp Lejeune during this period and believe that their health was affected can apply for compensation under the War Pension Scheme.