To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how much was spent on (a) the Gurkha Pension Scheme, (b) the Armed Forces Pension Scheme 2005 and (c) the Armed Forces Pension Scheme 1975 in the last year for which information is available; and if he will make a statement. (282126)

For financial year 2008-09 the amount of pensions paid to members and dependants was as follows:

Gurkha pension scheme

The pensions paid are not allocated to a separate cost code and a fully accurate amount is not therefore available. However for financial year 2008-09 it was estimated to amount to some £48 million, subject to exchange rate fluctuations.

Armed forces pension scheme

2005: £26 million.

1975: £2.7 billion.