It is my understanding that this question relates to the overseas observer allowance payable to personnel of the Permanent Defence Force while serving as observers with the United Nations Truce Supervision Organisation in the Middle East (UNTSO), which allowance has been the subject of current, and previous, representations on behalf of former members of the Permanent Defence Force.
UNTSO was established in 1948 to supervise the cease-fire arranged by the United Nations Security Council between Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, Syria and Israel. It is an unarmed observer mission whose duties are to observe the cease-fire and report breaches thereof.
The payment of an overseas observer allowance to personnel serving as observers with UNTSO was first sanctioned in 1971. In the exceptional conditions arising from the war of June 1967, it was decided to authorise payment of this allowance in respect of service in that particular mission area with effect from 1 June 1967. Personnel of the Permanent Defence Force first participated with UNTSO in December 1958. Twenty-seven officers served with this organisation prior to 1 June 1967, accounting for 15,411 man days. The approximate cost of conceding retrospective payment of observer overseas allowance would be £181,000 at current daily rates.
In view of the large cost of the concession sought and also the very considerable time, nearly 30 years, which has elapsed since the personnel concerned served on this mission, I feel that payment of retrospective observer overseas allowance at this stage is not justified. I am further persuaded in this course by the rationale adopted by my predecessor in granting retrospection of the 1971 allowance to 1 June 1967, viz. the particular conditions of hardship occasioned by the Arab-Israeli war of June 1967 and subsequently.
