Gurkhas stage hunger strike outside Downing Street in demand for equal pensions for those who retired before 1997

Gurkhas have been pictured on day six of their hunger strike outside Downing Street as a minister revealed he is 'not entirely sure' who from the Government has spoken with the group.  

The Nepalese-born soldiers are campaigning for equal pensions for Gurkhas who retired before 1997 and are not eligible for a full UK armed forces pension.

The Support Our Gurkhas protesters reached their sixth day of not eating on Thursday, while demonstrating opposite Downing Street.

Schools minister Nick Gibb was asked on Thursday morning about what the Government is doing to help the Gurkhas.

Nepalese-born Gurkhas staging a protest outside Downing Street are pictured entering their sixth day of hunger strike

The Support Our Gurkhas protesters are campaigning for equal pensions for Gurkhas who retired before 1997 and are not eligible for a full UK armed forces pension

He told Sky News: 'We do take very seriously the issue of pensions for Gurkhas.

'The Gurkhas' pension scheme, we've increased it between 10% and 25% since March 2019, we've added another £25 million in terms of providing health for Gurkhas in Nepal.

'Ministers are of course in touch with and will be in touch with those people who are concerned about pensions for Gurkhas - they are a very important part of the British Army and we've always taken very seriously the welfare and the pension of Gurkhas who have served in our armed forces.'

Serving Gurkhas, and those with service on or after July 1, 1997, could opt to transfer into the Armed Forces Pension Scheme.

The change was brought in after an amendment to immigration rules in 2007, backdated to July 1997, meant more retired Gurkhas were likely to settle in the UK on discharge, whereas the previous pension scheme had lower rates as it had assumed they would return to Nepal where the cost of living was significantly lower.

Dhan Gurung, 59, from Basingstoke, who has been protesting from his wheelchair in Whitehall said he received £20 in monthly pension whereas British counterparts received £400 or more 

Change was brought in after an amendment to immigration rules in 2007, backdated to July 1997, meant more retired Gurkhas were likely to settle in the UK on discharge, whereas the previous pension scheme had lower rates

Dhan Gurung, 59, from Basingstoke, who has been protesting from his wheelchair in Whitehall near the gates to Downing Street, said: 'When I retired from the British Army, my pension was £20 a month, whereas my British counterpart received £400 or more.

'What a trick by the Government, it makes me hurt still.

'There are 5,000 veterans in Nepal living in poverty. They are working in dangerous, difficult and dirty jobs to feed their families.'

The veteran also said he and his fellow demonstrators had been 'harassed' by police, who then dismantled a gazebo.

A Metropolitan Police spokesman said that on Tuesday, officers had 'engaged with the crowd and the gazebo was removed. No arrests were made'.

Dhan Gurung also said he and his fellow demonstrators had been 'harassed' by police, who then dismantled a gazebo

When asked to confirm that ministers have been in touch with the protesting group, Mr Gibb added: 'I'm not entirely sure who has met who but I do know that we are always keen to speak to people who are concerned about the welfare of our Gurkha regiment and the pensions arrangements for those soldiers.'

On Wednesday, Labour's shadow defence secretary Stephen Morgan wrote to the Government urging it to 'engage constructively' with the Gurkhas.

In a letter to Defence Secretary Ben Wallace, Mr Morgan said it had been 'over two years since the Government announced that they intended to increase pension rates for the Gurkha Pension Scheme', and over five years since the UK and Nepalese governments agreed to set up 'a process of dialogue on issues of concern to the Gurkha veteran community'.

He added: 'I would urge you to meet with these veterans, as I have in the past and will do so again this week. No veteran of the British Army should have to resort to a hunger strike to be heard.'

Gurkha men, recruited from the rugged Himalayan country of Nepal, have a reputation as hard and loyal fighters, and are known for the trademark curved kukri blades they carry sheathed on their belts

The Gurkha men, recruited from the rugged Himalayan country of Nepal, have a reputation as hard and loyal fighters, and are known for the trademark curved kukri blades they carry sheathed on their belts.

Around 200,000 Gurkhas fought in both world wars, and they have also served in places such as Hong Kong, Malaysia, Borneo, Cyprus, the Falklands, Kosovo, Iraq and Afghanistan.

Those who served from 1948 to 2007 were members of the Gurkha Pension Scheme until the Labour government of the time eliminated the differences between Gurkhas' terms and conditions of service and those of their British counterparts.