Oral Answers to Questions

Alex Barros-Curtis Excerpts

Monday 3rd November 2025 Commons Chamber

[The Minister for Veterans and People (Louise Sandher-Jones)]

As the hon. Member will be aware, the Ministry of Defence accepted 33 of the Committee’s recommendations, partially accepted a further four recommendations and noted 13 points that were conclusions rather than recommendations. There are three recommendations that we are not implementing, but it must be stressed that we are instead taking action to address the underlying concerns of those recommendations in other ways. The remaining 33 recommendations have been addressed through both Defence and single service activity delivered over the past two years.

[Mr Alex Barros-Curtis (Cardiff West) (Lab)]

T8. The opening last week by the King of the UK’s first national memorial commemorating LGBT veterans marks an important moment for all LGBT people who have served or continue to serve in our military. Will my hon. Friend confirm that this will not be merely a symbolic moment for those veterans? I put on record my thanks to those LGBT personnel who have served and continue to serve with distinction.

[Louise Sandher-Jones]

It was without doubt a huge honour and privilege last week to attend the unveiling of the Etherton memorial, commemorating the life and legacy of the late Lord Etherton. We have now paid £20 million in total to veterans under the LGBT financial recognition scheme, and I can assure my hon. Friend that, to me, the monument stands not only as a memorial to what has gone before but as a firm anchor for where we must go in the future.