Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will revise the Long Service and Good Conduct Medal criteria to (a) remove the service cut-off dates and (b) provide equal opportunity to all veterans to receive the medal based on 15 years of service, with no misconduct for at least the last 15 years of service.

The Government holds the professionalism, courage and contribution of all those who have served in our Armed Forces in the very highest regard.

Sir John Holmes' independent review of the policy governing the award of military medals, which concluded in 2014, was subject to detailed discussion by the Committee on the Grant of Honours, Decorations and Medals. Sir John Holmes and the Committee were clear that there should be no retrospection and that the medal should not be made available to those who do not meet the eligibility criteria.

As such, there are no plans to extend the eligibility criteria for the Long Service and Good Conduct Medal to veterans who served before the medal was introduced.