QUEEN'S JUBILEE MEDAL AND MERCHANT SEAMEN

Early day motion 1366, tabled 21 May 2002 by Paul Holmes (Liberal Democrat). Signed by 48 members.

That this House strongly disapproves of the Government's refusal to extend the eligibility to the Queen's Jubilee medal beyond serving members of the armed forces and Royal Fleet Auxiliary and 999 emergency services meeting length of service criteria and holders of the George or Victoria Crosses; especially deplores the failure to redress this historic lack of formal recognition given to members of the Merchant Navy, whose massive sacrifice in the Second World War kept Great Britain and the Soviet Union from defeat; furthermore, pays tribute to the 33,000 merchant seaman who between 1939 and 1945 paid for the defence of their country with their lives; regards this latest snub as all the more insulting given the coincidence of the Jubilee and the 20th anniversary of the reclamation of the Falklands Islands, in which merchant sailors played an essential role; and calls for an immediate reversal of the Government's position.

Signatures by party: Liberal Democrat 28, Labour 9, Scottish National Party 4, Conservative 3, UUP 2, DUP 1, Labour/Co-operative 1.