POSTHUMOUS MEDALS FOR SUPREME SACRIFICE

Early day motion 257, tabled 26 January 2001 by Harry Barnes (Labour). Signed by 109 members.

That this House warmly supports the proposal put forward by Rita Restorick, and others such as the Royal British Legion, the Gulf Veterans, the Falklands Families and the South Atlantic Medal Association, that a posthumous medal, similar to the US Purple Heart, be presented to the next of kin of troops killed in action so that it can be worn with pride on Remembrance Day; accepts that suitable criteria for such a medal need be carefully defined and that this is best done by the Ministry of Defence in consultation with the Royal British Legion and forces' associations; but believes that servicemen and women who are killed in the line of duty have made the supreme sacrifice and deserve recognition for this in the form of a medal, as well as the Government's proposed memorial in central London.

Signatures by party: Labour 65, Liberal Democrat 25, Conservative 10, Labour/Co-operative 7, UUP 2.