World | UK
Army ponders scrapping of Gurkhas
Military chiefs are warning that the historic Gurkha regiment could be scrapped if a landmark ruling results in thousands more veterans being allowed to settle in Britain.
- By Robert Fox, Evening Standard
- Published: 23:33 January 14, 2009
London: Military chiefs are warning that the historic Gurkha regiment could be scrapped if a landmark ruling results in thousands more veterans being allowed to settle in Britain.
Under new rules due to be announced in the next few weeks, the rights of former Gurkhas who left the regiment before 1997 are expected to be widened significantly.
The change follows a High Court decision last year which granted five of the Nepalese veterans the right to stay in Britain in a test case victory which strengthened the resolve to review rules covering up to 2,000 ex-Gurkhas in the same situation.
Campaigners, whose supporters include Joanna Lumley, believe that full residence rights should now be given to all Gurkhas who under the existing regulations are only entitled to move to Britain if they served after 1997.
Pensions
Military officials are concerned, however, that the move awarding blanket residence rights for the veterans and their families could cost the Defence ministry and British taxpayers in between £1 billion (Dh5.33 billion) and £3 billion.
One key reason is that any Gurkhas who move to Britain will be entitled to full pensions, unlike the current system where those resident in Nepal receive only about a third of what UK veterans get.
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