Arctic Convoy Veterans Medal Debate

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Department: Ministry of Defence

Arctic Convoy Veterans Medal

Lord Lancaster of Kimbolton Excerpts
Tuesday 6th December 2011

(12 years, 5 months ago)

Westminster Hall
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Caroline Dinenage Portrait Caroline Dinenage
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My hon. Friend makes an excellent point and has worked extremely hard on this campaign, as we all have. There is a ready-made solution within the star framework. The complacency in relation to rewarding these extraordinary men is, in many ways, shameful.

Lord Lancaster of Kimbolton Portrait Mark Lancaster (Milton Keynes North) (Con)
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My hon. Friend is making a powerful point. Probably the most powerful point she has made is that the qualifying criterion for the Atlantic star was 180 days, which by modern standards is very long indeed. I think that for the Falklands it was one day. For the current operational service medal, it is only 30 days. In fact, if she were devilish, she could ask the Minister what the qualifying period was for his two medals.

Caroline Dinenage Portrait Caroline Dinenage
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I thank my hon. Friend for that very helpful intervention.