Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what time limits apply to a claim of compensation arising from an injury sustained while training.

Claims for compensation, irrespective of whether they arise from training or from an injury on duty may be brought by way of a common law claim, an Armed Forces Compensation Scheme (AFCS) claim or a War Pension Scheme (WPS) claim. For a common law claim, a claimant must issue court proceedings within three years of the date of the accident or the date of knowledge of the injury. The AFCS provides compensation for injury, illness or death caused by service in the UK Armed Forces on or after 6 April 2005. The time limit in most cases is seven years. The WPS provides no fault compensation to former personnel and their dependants for injuries and death as a result of service before 6 April 2005. Awards are not paid in service and there are no time limits for claiming. Awards can be reviewed at any time and there is a right of appeal to an independent tribunal.