General News - Letter: Forgotten Veterans

 

County Times : Published on Monday 13 February 2012 09:05

THIS is a follow up to a letter I sent your publication late last year. I wish to update your readers on our progress and to thank those who contacted and joined Equality for Veterans Association (EfVA).

The issue of public service pensions has been very much to the fore in the media over recent weeks and yet there is one body of public servants who continue to be denied any pension whatsoever.

Affected veterans of the UK Armed Forces when serving did not work normal office hours, indeed invariably worked very unsocial hours; were often separated from their families; had no right to withdraw their labour or take any form of industrial action; and were prepared to lay down their lives in defence of UK national interests.

The ‘Forgotten Veterans’ pleas to Government for a meaningful discussion of these matters have continued to be ignored for well over 20 years.

However, the good news is that last month the inaugural meeting of a newly formed All Party Parliamentary Group to discuss the inequality in Armed Forces pensions has been held. The group of MPs (ten from Government Benches and ten from the Opposition) is to be chaired by Ms Katy Clark MP (Labour) and the group secretary is Sir Bob Russell MP (Liberal Democrat).

Service leavers pre-April 1975 receive no pension benefit whereas those leaving April 1975 onwards qualify for a ‘preserved’ pension pro-rata their service on reaching State Retirement age. There is a great body of evidence which shows that both pre and post April 1975 service leavers were not kept informed of pension scheme changes or of their likely entitlement.

Indirect contributions towards the future payment of pensions have always been taken as part of the annual pay award formula devised by the Armed Forces Pay Review Body, the sum of such contribution which would otherwise have been paid in the salaries of servicemen and women.

We are all aware of the current parlous state of the UK economy and that any sizeable reduction in the budget deficit will not come overnight.

However Government claims that to allow settlement of this long outstanding issue would simply be unaffordable does not stand scrutiny and it is argued that the true cost would in practice be much less than claimed by HM Treasury and is very affordable. It all boils down to where public expenditure priorities lie and service veterans do not appear to warrant any consideration.

The terms of reference of the group are ‘to seek a resolution to issues regarding inequality in the award of occupational pro-rata pensions for UK Armed Forces Veterans who in the period 1949 to April 1975 completed less than 22 years’ service (16 for commissioned officers)’. It was agreed that the terms of reference are to be taken as not excluding others who served in the UK Armed Forces.

For more information please see website www.efva.co.uk.

JIM MONAGHAN

Regional organiser Sussex, Equality for Veterans Association

White Horse Court, Storrington

THE COUNTY TIMES REPORT

Member Maj Jeremy Whitaker has written to the Secretary of State for Defence Rt Hon Philip Hammond MP on the question of pensions inequality and he awaits a reply.  He has also written a letter to the Editor Sunday Telegraph and this letter should be published in next Sundays edition.

Member Don Forster Don lives in Grimsby and was in touch recently as he has been suffering ill health for a number of years. I wrote to his MP Austin Mitchell asking him to investigate how Don might be helped and I await further news from Mr Mitchell. Sid West has Don's contact details and I'm sure a visit on behalf of EfVA would be welcomed. Anyone able to visit Don please post further reports here.

Yorkshire Member news :

Yorkshire member Charles Waddington had a surgery meeting today with Kris Hopkins MP for Keighley who gave his support to our campaign and is to follow through with Sir Bob Russell MP regarding the way forward

 

MPs investigate equal pensions for ex-soldiers

Published on Thursday 26 January 2012 10:51 - THE STAR

A CAMPAIGN group of ex-service personnel – including former armed forces members from South Yorkshire – has had its fight for equal pensions recognised in Parliament.

Members of the Equality for Veterans Association (EFVA) are calling for a change in rules which mean people who left the forces before 1975 received no pension unless they had served for at least 22 years.

Their pressure has led to the formation of an All-Party Parliamentary Group.

A spokesman for EFVA said: “We are all aware of the current parlous state of the UK economy and that any sizeable reduction in the budget deficit will not come overnight.

“However, Government claims that to allow settlement of this long-outstanding issue would simply be unaffordable does not stand up to scrutiny.

“It is argued the true cost would in practice be much less than claimed by HM Treasury and is affordable.”

The association said it is hopeful the new parliamentary group will help its cause.

THE STAR NEWSPAPER

APPG inaugural meeting

The inaugural meeting of the APPG was held in HoC Westminster on Thursday 12th January 2012. Katy Clark MP was appointed Chair of the Group and Sir Bob Russell MP to be Secretary.  Secretariat support is to be led by John Bailey Deputy Chairman EfVA.  The terms of reference for the group were agreed to be proposed as follows :

To seek a resolution to issues of inequalities in the award of occupational pro-rata pensions for UK ex-Armed Forces Veterans who in the period 1949 to April 1975 completed less than 22 years service (16 for commissioned officers') It was agreed hat the terms of reference are to be taken as not excluding others who served in the UK Armed Forces. This proposed wording to be subject to the final approval of the APPG Secretary.

Arising from the matters discussed the first actions are for EfVA Chairman to brief all pensioners' organisations (e.g. Age UK, RBL) + newspapers both national and regional.  A revised Press Release to announce the formation of the APPG is to be circulated.

The Chair recommended further research in HoC Library would be fruitful.

New Publication

I have just ordered my copy (pre-order for February release) of the new book by Barbara Green "Girls in Khaki. A History of the ATS in World War II".  This is not to be missed and can be ordered in advance of release from www.amazon.co.uk at a substantial discount. For newer members of EfVA Barbara is a long standing activist on our behalf and was previously Media Co-ordinator. 

Personal Statements :

Resulting from a further request to EfVA members to lodge personal statements/declarations with Richard Jeal Association Secretary the response to date has been very encouraging.  However there is much more work to be done in this respect in the period prior to the establishment of the APG. Members who were still serving in the period early 1970s through to end of March 1975 are being asked to state whether or not they were ever consulted and advised that they would become entitled to preserved pensions if they extended their regular engagements for a further period of not less than 3 years.

The indication so far confirms the view that MoD failed in its duty as employer to ensure that serving personnel were advised regarding the implications of AFPS75.

A Poem Worth Reading
 
There are so many Forgotten Veterans in the UK that have served this country for years and had their pay abated, all they receive is a Veterans Badge for their service. It is about time the news papers and the BBC did more to publicize their claim for a pro-rata pension for their years of service.
These Veterans have paid the BBC thousands of pounds in license fees over the years but hardly get a mention.
Do you remember, Korea 1086 lost their lives, Malaya 1443, Suez 403, Cyprus 358 Northern Ireland 1,380 and many other conflicts? Many of these conflicts happened before 5th April 1975. if one left the forces before that date they received nothing, after that date they did! We here very little of the Veterans that survived these wars. THEY NEED YOUR HELP!

Sid. West   17 years service 9/12 Lancers

 01924 827 628   

 He was getting old and paunchy
And his hair was falling fast,
And he sat around the Legion,
Telling stories of the past.

Of a war that he once fought in
And the deeds that he had done,
In his exploits with his buddies;
They were heroes, every one.

And 'tho sometimes to his neighbours
His tales became a joke,
All his buddies listened quietly
For they knew where of he spoke.
But we'll hear his tales no longer,
For ol' Bob has passed away,
And the world's a little poorer
For a Soldier died today.

He won't be mourned by many,
Just his children and his wife.
For he lived an ordinary,
Very quiet sort of life.
He held a job and raised a family,
Going quietly on his way;
And the world won't note his passing,
'Tho a Soldier died today.

When politicians leave this earth,
Their bodies lie in state,
While thousands note their passing,
And proclaim that they were great.
Papers tell of their life stories
From the time that they were young
But the passing of a Soldier
Goes unnoticed, and unsung.

Is the greatest contribution
To the welfare of our land,
Some jerk who breaks his promise
And cons his fellow man?

Or the ordinary fellow
Who in times of war and strife,
Goes off to serve his country
And offers up his life?

The politician's stipend
And the style in which he lives,
Are often disproportionate,
To the service that he gives.

While the ordinary Soldier,
Who offered up his all,
Is paid off with a medal
And perhaps a pension, small.
It's so easy to forget them,
For it is so many times
That our Bobs and Jims and Johnny’s,
Went to battle, but we know,

It is not the politicians
With their compromise and ploys,
Who won for us the freedom
That our country now enjoys.
Should you find yourself in danger,
With your enemies at hand,
Would you really want some cop-out,
With his ever waffling stand?

Or would you want a Soldier--
His home, his country, his kin,
Just a common Soldier,
Who would fight until the end.

He was just a common Soldier,
And his ranks are growing thin,
But his presence should remind us
We may need his like again.
For when countries are in conflict,
We find the Soldier's part
Is to clean up all the troubles
That the politicians start..

If we cannot do him honour
While he's here to hear the praise,
Then at least let's give him homage
At the ending of his days.

Perhaps just a simple headline
In the paper that might say:

"OUR COUNTRY IS IN MOURNING,
A SOLDIER DIED TODAY."
 
Pass On The Patriotism!
YOU can make a difference.

Sid. West