Asked by: Claire Hazelgrove (Labour - Filton and Bradley Stoke)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what assessment his Department has made of the potential merits of recognition and compensation of chronic pain as a distinct medical condition as part of the Armed Forces Compensation Scheme and War Pension Scheme.
Answered by Louise Sandher-Jones - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence)
The Department has assessed that both the Armed Forces Compensation Scheme (AFCS) and the War Pension Scheme provide for pain and suffering as part of a holistic assessment of service-attributable injury or illness.
In most cases, chronic pain is not treated as a standalone condition. Under both Schemes, chronic pain is generally considered an expected effect of a primary injury and is included in the overall award. However, where there is a distinct and separately diagnosable chronic pain condition, such as Complex Regional Pain Syndrome, this may be considered on its own merits.
The Independent Medical Expert Group (IMEG) is currently considering concerns that chronic pain may not always be adequately captured under the AFCS. IMEG is examining the evidence base and how the functional impact of chronic pain is reflected within existing compensation arrangements.
Asked by: Claire Hazelgrove (Labour - Filton and Bradley Stoke)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will make an assessment of the potential impact of the procurement of the A400M Atlas Aircraft on (a) national security, (b) the number of skilled jobs in the defence sector in (i) Filton and Bradley Stoke constituency and (ii) England and (c) economic growth.
Answered by Maria Eagle
The A400M aircraft entered service in 2014, primarily to provide tactical airlift and strategic oversize lift capabilities. In addition to this remit, A400M also has a 24/7 national standby commitment and has supported the UK Border Force with maritime reconnaissance in the English Channel, and long range search and rescue.
A400M wing production has sustained approximately 270 skilled jobs at Airbus' Filton base and it is estimated that almost 900 jobs have been sustained in the supply chain across the UK. To date, A400M production has contributed £1.5 billion to the UK economy.