To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to the Prime Minister's statement of 8 October 2007, Official Report, columns 21-25, on Iraq, whether service personnel relocated from Iraq to Kuwait will receive the (a) Operation Telic medal and (b) operational allowance. (169577)

The MOD is at an advanced stage in its arrangements concerning a regional support facility to support UK armed forces in south east Iraq but has yet formally to conclude the negotiation process. On eligibility for the operational allowance, I have nothing further to add to the response I gave to the hon. Gentleman during the defence policy debate on 16 October 2007, Official Report, column 720. The military chain of command is currently considering appropriate arrangements to recognise operational deployments to the region following the planned transfer of security responsibility for Basra to Provincial Iraqi control.