Question
This country owes those in the Gurkha regiment a debt of thanks for their continued service. Will the Secretary of State outline what will happen to them and their dependants with these changes?
Answer
I can confirm that the position for Gurkhas is the same as for all of those in our armed forces—they have their own bespoke route to settlement, which is usually four years after service—and they are exempt from the changes we have made today.
Verdict: AMBER (42/100)
The reply gives a clear, direct answer to the first part of the question: Gurkha personnel are exempt from today's changes, and the reply describes their separate settlement route, usually four years after service. It does not address the second part, which asked about the dependants of Gurkha personnel, so the asker would likely need to follow up on that point.
How we got there
| Question item | Coverage | Specificity | Rationale |
|---|---|---|---|
| What will happen to Gurkha personnel as a result of the proposed changes | Addressed | Direct | The reply states directly that Gurkha personnel are exempt from the changes made today and describes their bespoke settlement route (usually four years after service), which together give a concrete answer to what happens to them. |
| What will happen to the dependants of Gurkha personnel as a result of the proposed changes | Not Addressed | Generic | The reply never mentions dependants of Gurkha personnel, so the question about their treatment under the changes goes unanswered. The settlement route described is for the personnel themselves, and nothing extends it to dependants. |