Asked by: Ben Maguire (Liberal Democrat - North Cornwall)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of ensuring that the proposed transfer of Bodmin Keep from his Department to its Trustees is accompanied by sufficient funding to (a) enable the museum to remain financially sustainable, (b) continue to deliver youth engagement and (c) support the Keeping the Army in the Public Eye policy.
Answered by Luke Pollard - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)
The Department is in regular communication with the Military Museum at Bodmin Keep about how they will transition from their current supported status in 2030, and what this will mean. The Department is also exploring a number of long-term options with the Museum regarding their lease agreement for the Keep. Until then, the Museum will continue to receive a Grant-in-Aid from the Department. I am happy to meet with the hon. Gentleman to discuss further if that would be useful.
Asked by: Ben Maguire (Liberal Democrat - North Cornwall)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many claims have been made to the LGBT Financial Recognition Scheme; and what steps he is taking to ensure all potential recipients are aware of the scheme before it closes in December 2026.
Answered by Al Carns - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for Veterans)
As of 30 June 2025, the LGBT Financial Recognition Scheme (FRS) had received 1,099 formal applications, of which none had been rejected.
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.
To date, 81 payments have been made, comprising:
This means that 7.37% of claims have been successfully concluded.
The Scheme, introduced on 13 December 2024, with a budget of up to £75 million, aims to recognise the harm caused by the historic ban on LGBT personnel in the Armed Forces (1967–2000). Efforts are underway to accelerate processing times, including increasing resourcing, automating the payments system and increasing the frequency of Independent Panel sittings to two per week to ensure applications are reviewed and processed more swiftly.
Defence’s LGBT Restorative Action Team is working closely with external and internal Defence communications teams to deliver campaigns to drive awareness of, and encourage, eligible LGBT Veterans to claim under the FRS. Defence is also working with local councils, the NHS, LGBT and military charities, to better inform affected Veterans of the FRS and how to apply.
The LGBT Restorative Action Team also continues to engage with relevant Veterans networks, and customer facing teams, to ensure that eligible applicants of FRS receive the appropriate information, support, and guidance. To further support this effort, Defence has allocated £90,000 worth of grants to charities, including Fighting With Pride, to support Veterans with their FRS applications.
The Government encourages those affected by the Ban to visit Gov.UK for further information, guidance, and support on how to make an application: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/veterans-of-the-lgbt-ban-financial-recognition-scheme
Asked by: Ben Maguire (Liberal Democrat - North Cornwall)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many claims have been (a) made to and (b) rejected by the LGBT Financial Recognition Scheme; and what proportion of those claims have successfully concluded.
Answered by Al Carns - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for Veterans)
As of 30 June 2025, the LGBT Financial Recognition Scheme (FRS) had received 1,099 formal applications, of which none had been rejected.
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.
To date, 81 payments have been made, comprising:
This means that 7.37% of claims have been successfully concluded.
The Scheme, introduced on 13 December 2024, with a budget of up to £75 million, aims to recognise the harm caused by the historic ban on LGBT personnel in the Armed Forces (1967–2000). Efforts are underway to accelerate processing times, including increasing resourcing, automating the payments system and increasing the frequency of Independent Panel sittings to two per week to ensure applications are reviewed and processed more swiftly.
Defence’s LGBT Restorative Action Team is working closely with external and internal Defence communications teams to deliver campaigns to drive awareness of, and encourage, eligible LGBT Veterans to claim under the FRS. Defence is also working with local councils, the NHS, LGBT and military charities, to better inform affected Veterans of the FRS and how to apply.
The LGBT Restorative Action Team also continues to engage with relevant Veterans networks, and customer facing teams, to ensure that eligible applicants of FRS receive the appropriate information, support, and guidance. To further support this effort, Defence has allocated £90,000 worth of grants to charities, including Fighting With Pride, to support Veterans with their FRS applications.
The Government encourages those affected by the Ban to visit Gov.UK for further information, guidance, and support on how to make an application: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/veterans-of-the-lgbt-ban-financial-recognition-scheme
Asked by: Ben Maguire (Liberal Democrat - North Cornwall)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, when he plans to implement the outstanding recommendations of the LGBT Veterans Review.
Answered by Al Carns - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for Veterans)
I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 25 July 2024 to Question 495 to the hon. Member for West Aberdeenshire and Kincardine (Andrew Bowie).