Asked by: James Cartlidge (Conservative - South Suffolk)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what assessment he has made of the trends in the level of waiting times for the assessment of claims under the LGBT Financial Recognition Scheme.
Answered by Al Carns - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for Veterans)
The LGBT Financial Recognition Scheme (FRS) launched in December of 2024, and as of 9 June 2025, 44 applicants have received payment. We have been prioritising payment to the elderly and those with serious health conditions to ensure they receive support as quickly as possible, with the first payments issued as planned within 15 weeks of the scheme going live to these prioritised groups. Some cases are more complex and require additional time due to the unique and individual circumstances involved. We envisage the scheme speeding up once the most complex cases are delt with.
The Scheme continues to make progress with applications, with process capacity expected to increase in the coming months. The FRS is continually looking for opportunities to automate processes where possible, to streamline processing and to work as efficiently as possible processing applications, taking account of the complexity and need for careful consideration.
Payments made by the FRS are not compensation payments and do not seek to compensate for any pecuniary losses or attempt to place personnel in a financial position they could have been in, had the ban not existed.
There is no predetermined target for the number of claims that will be assessed at each sitting of the Independent Panel for the FRS. The volume of claims reviewed at each sitting will vary depending on the length and complexity of individual cases, so it is not possible to confirm in advance how many cases will be considered in any given meeting. The Department expects to increase the frequency of Independent Panel sittings, with the aim of holding up to two sittings per week.
No formal assessment has been made of trends in waiting times for the assessment of claims under the Scheme. However, the Department is currently working on how we can simplify the process to update applicants. Applicants can contact the Restorative Action Team at the following email address: lgbt-frscheme@mod.gov.uk
The Department will continue to keep resourcing under close review to ensure the FRS is fully supported. This includes assessing whether additional staff are required to manage demand and maintain the timely assessment of claims. The Department continues to monitor the overall progress of claims and remains committed to ensuring the scheme is delivered as efficiently and fairly as possible.
Asked by: Dave Doogan (Scottish National Party - Angus and Perthshire Glens)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many spouses of deceased armed forces personnel have been contacted for repayment after accidental overpayments of their spousal armed forces pension.
Answered by Al Carns - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for Veterans)
In line with most pension schemes, it is often unavoidable that an overpayment may occur following the death of a pension recipient. This is due to the timing of the individual's passing and the understandable delay in the pension scheme authority receiving the notification of death. Such overpayments are common and are typically recovered either directly from the recipient's bank account or from the estate of the deceased.
Requests for repayment can be initiated by a family member, a friend of the deceased, the deceased's legal representative, or neighbour who has completed the Gov.uk 'Tell Us Once' online form.
In the last Financial Year (2024-25), 1,003 outstanding 'Late Notification of Death' cases were raised under the Armed Forces Pension Scheme. However, whether the beneficiary of an estate is a spouse or other recipient is not centrally recorded and could only be provided at disproportionate cost.
Asked by: Jayne Kirkham (Labour (Co-op) - Truro and Falmouth)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many payments have been issued under the LGBT Financial Recognition Scheme.
Answered by Al Carns - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for Veterans)
As of 9 June 2025, 44 Veterans had received payments through the LGBT Financial Recognition Scheme (FRS). Payments made by the FRS are not compensation payments and do not seek to compensate for any pecuniary losses or attempt to place personnel in a financial position they could have been in, had the ban not existed.
We have been prioritising payments to the elderly and those with serious health conditions to ensure they receive support as quickly as possible, with the first payments issued as planned within 15 weeks of the scheme going live to these prioritised groups. Some cases are more complex and require additional time due to the unique and individual circumstances involved. We envisage the scheme speeding up once the most complex cases are delt with.
Asked by: James Cartlidge (Conservative - South Suffolk)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether he is taking steps to expedite the assessment of compensation claims submitted as part of the LGBT Financial Recognition Scheme announced on 12 December 2024.
Answered by Al Carns - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for Veterans)
The LGBT Financial Recognition Scheme (FRS) launched in December of 2024, and as of 9 June 2025, 44 applicants have received payment. We have been prioritising payment to the elderly and those with serious health conditions to ensure they receive support as quickly as possible, with the first payments issued as planned within 15 weeks of the scheme going live to these prioritised groups. Some cases are more complex and require additional time due to the unique and individual circumstances involved. We envisage the scheme speeding up once the most complex cases are delt with.
The Scheme continues to make progress with applications, with process capacity expected to increase in the coming months. The FRS is continually looking for opportunities to automate processes where possible, to streamline processing and to work as efficiently as possible processing applications, taking account of the complexity and need for careful consideration.
Payments made by the FRS are not compensation payments and do not seek to compensate for any pecuniary losses or attempt to place personnel in a financial position they could have been in, had the ban not existed.
There is no predetermined target for the number of claims that will be assessed at each sitting of the Independent Panel for the FRS. The volume of claims reviewed at each sitting will vary depending on the length and complexity of individual cases, so it is not possible to confirm in advance how many cases will be considered in any given meeting. The Department expects to increase the frequency of Independent Panel sittings, with the aim of holding up to two sittings per week.
No formal assessment has been made of trends in waiting times for the assessment of claims under the Scheme. However, the Department is currently working on how we can simplify the process to update applicants. Applicants can contact the Restorative Action Team at the following email address: lgbt-frscheme@mod.gov.uk
The Department will continue to keep resourcing under close review to ensure the FRS is fully supported. This includes assessing whether additional staff are required to manage demand and maintain the timely assessment of claims. The Department continues to monitor the overall progress of claims and remains committed to ensuring the scheme is delivered as efficiently and fairly as possible.
Asked by: Rachael Maskell (Labour (Co-op) - York Central)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, when the last time was that a member of the Israel Defense Forces was trained by the UK armed forces.
Answered by Luke Pollard - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence)
As part of routine Defence engagement with Israel, the UK is currently training a limited number of Israel Defense Forces personnel on UK-based training courses.
Asked by: Mary Glindon (Labour - Newcastle upon Tyne East and Wallsend)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether his Department has made an assessment of the potential merits of sponsoring a memorial at the National Memorial Arboretum to the Canary Girls munitions factory workers in the (a) First and (b) Second World War.
Answered by Al Carns - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for Veterans)
The Government recognises the hard work of the Munitions workers and is extremely grateful for their input and sacrifices made during both world wars often working in harsh conditions, to ensure that our soldiers were well equipped during the war effort.
The role of munitions workers, largely carried out by women during the First and Second World Wars, was critical to victory. It is important that their effort and sacrifice, often undertaken in dangerous conditions, is remembered.
This is not an issue for which the Ministry of Defence is responsible, and in the past was addressed by the former Ministry for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy.
Asked by: Mary Glindon (Labour - Newcastle upon Tyne East and Wallsend)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether his Department formally recognises the contribution of Canary Girls munitions factory workers in the (a) First and (b) Second World War.
Answered by Al Carns - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for Veterans)
The Government recognises the hard work of the Munitions workers and is extremely grateful for their input and sacrifices made during both world wars often working in harsh conditions, to ensure that our soldiers were well equipped during the war effort.
The role of munitions workers, largely carried out by women during the First and Second World Wars, was critical to victory. It is important that their effort and sacrifice, often undertaken in dangerous conditions, is remembered.
This is not an issue for which the Ministry of Defence is responsible, and in the past was addressed by the former Ministry for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy.
Asked by: Mary Glindon (Labour - Newcastle upon Tyne East and Wallsend)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether he plans to commemorate the contribution of Canary Girls munitions factory workers in the (a) First and (b) Second World War.
Answered by Al Carns - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for Veterans)
The Government recognises the hard work of the Munitions workers and is extremely grateful for their input and sacrifices made during both world wars often working in harsh conditions, to ensure that our soldiers were well equipped during the war effort.
The role of munitions workers, largely carried out by women during the First and Second World Wars, was critical to victory. It is important that their effort and sacrifice, often undertaken in dangerous conditions, is remembered.
This is not an issue for which the Ministry of Defence is responsible, and in the past was addressed by the former Ministry for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy.
Asked by: Mark Francois (Conservative - Rayleigh and Wickford)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to Article 2(3)(g) of the document entitled UK/Mauritius: Agreement concerning the Chagos Archipelago including Diego Garcia (CS Mauritius No.1/2025), what steps his Department is taking to ensure that military operations in Diego Garcia as defined in Article 19 of the Agreement are not impeded by compliance with the environmental laws of the Government of Mauritius.
Answered by Luke Pollard - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence)
The United Kingdom is not bound by Mauritian environmental law. Under Article 5, the UK will apply applicable international environmental law with due regard to applicable Mauritian environmental laws; this reflects the long-standing Defence policy of applying both our own and our host nations’ environmental standards so far as it is reasonably practicable.
Asked by: Alison Bennett (Liberal Democrat - Mid Sussex)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether he plans to extend military hearing loss compensation to veterans who were discharged before 1987.
Answered by Al Carns - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for Veterans)
It is already the case that Veterans discharged before 6 April 2005 (including before 1987), who consider that damage to their hearing was caused or made worse by their Service, may be eligible to claim compensation under the terms of the War Pension Scheme (WPS). There is no time limit for making a claim under the WPS. Information about how to make an application can be found at the following website: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/apply-for-armed-forces-compensation-or-a-war-pension