Reading West MP Martin Salter was today re-elected as chair of the All Party Parliamentary Group on Gurkha Rights. The Group was set up last year in response to the refusal of the Government to allow Gurkha soldiers who had retired prior to 1997 the same rights of settlement in Britain afforded to other foreign nationals who had served in the British Army.

Mr Salter was active in the campaign to persuade the Government to rewrite its guidance on Gurkha settlement rights last May. The decision was widely welcomed by the Gurkha community in Reading and across Britain following a high profile campaign headed by actress Joanna Lumley.

Mr Salter said:-

“Although I am standing down at the next election, I am keen to make sure that the Gurkha Parliamentary Group continues to give Gurkhas a voice at Westminster and that we are able to monitor the implementation of the very welcome Government U-turn on settlement rights for these brave soldiers.”