Asked by: Fiona Bruce (Conservative - Congleton)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, to which legislation his Department has applied the Family Test, published in August 2014.
Answered by Tobias Ellwood
Our Armed Forces are among the most extraordinarily talented and hard-working people in our society. We recognise the vital role that their families play, and that operational capability relies on recognising the Service person as part of a wider family unit. This is why we launched the first ever UK Armed Forces Families’ Strategy in 2016, which focuses and coordinates activity to support Service families. Priorities for this work include childcare, partner employment and accommodation, which have consistently remained areas of interest for both the Service Families’ Federations and the Department. In delivering the strategy we work closely with a number of external stakeholders to provide support to spouses and partners, for instance to those who are looking to gain employment, as we recognise that the demands of Service life can impact on the careers of family members.
Welfare support is provided to families via the single Service welfare organisations; additionally there are a significant number of other organisations that can be accessed via welfare referrals. The Covenant Fund has assigned £4 million to projects that support ‘Families in Stress’, enabling specialist organisations such as Relate to provide immediate or local support to families experiencing episodes of significant strain. To date the Fund has awarded eleven grants, totalling almost £2 million, to specialist and expert charities.
In addition to keeping the range of welfare support under continual review and launching the Families’ Strategy, we have expanded the Defence People Mental Health and Wellbeing Strategy 2017-2022 to incorporate all Defence People, including the families of Service personnel. We have also embarked on a partnership with the Royal Foundation to deal with issues of stigma and the treatment of mental health problems across the defence community. We are developing options for the Future Accommodation Model which recognise the 21st century family and we are developing flexible engagements for those who wish to vary their deployability to better fit their Service career around family life, all of which aims to contribute to increased family stability.
A key component of the Families’ Strategy is to ensure that Service families are considered in people policy development, supporting the principles outlined in the Family Test. This is achieved through consideration of the Service family as part of each relevant submission or policy discussion, and through regular engagement with the single Services and the three Families’ Federations who represent the needs and views of Service families. The Department also monitors the development and implementation of policy to assess the impact on families. In the period since August 2014 none of the legislation implemented by the Ministry of Defence has required the application of the Family Test.
Asked by: Fiona Bruce (Conservative - Congleton)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 30 November 2017 to Question HL3576, what steps his Department is taking to strengthen families.
Answered by Tobias Ellwood
Our Armed Forces are among the most extraordinarily talented and hard-working people in our society. We recognise the vital role that their families play, and that operational capability relies on recognising the Service person as part of a wider family unit. This is why we launched the first ever UK Armed Forces Families’ Strategy in 2016, which focuses and coordinates activity to support Service families. Priorities for this work include childcare, partner employment and accommodation, which have consistently remained areas of interest for both the Service Families’ Federations and the Department. In delivering the strategy we work closely with a number of external stakeholders to provide support to spouses and partners, for instance to those who are looking to gain employment, as we recognise that the demands of Service life can impact on the careers of family members.
Welfare support is provided to families via the single Service welfare organisations; additionally there are a significant number of other organisations that can be accessed via welfare referrals. The Covenant Fund has assigned £4 million to projects that support ‘Families in Stress’, enabling specialist organisations such as Relate to provide immediate or local support to families experiencing episodes of significant strain. To date the Fund has awarded eleven grants, totalling almost £2 million, to specialist and expert charities.
In addition to keeping the range of welfare support under continual review and launching the Families’ Strategy, we have expanded the Defence People Mental Health and Wellbeing Strategy 2017-2022 to incorporate all Defence People, including the families of Service personnel. We have also embarked on a partnership with the Royal Foundation to deal with issues of stigma and the treatment of mental health problems across the defence community. We are developing options for the Future Accommodation Model which recognise the 21st century family and we are developing flexible engagements for those who wish to vary their deployability to better fit their Service career around family life, all of which aims to contribute to increased family stability.
A key component of the Families’ Strategy is to ensure that Service families are considered in people policy development, supporting the principles outlined in the Family Test. This is achieved through consideration of the Service family as part of each relevant submission or policy discussion, and through regular engagement with the single Services and the three Families’ Federations who represent the needs and views of Service families. The Department also monitors the development and implementation of policy to assess the impact on families. In the period since August 2014 none of the legislation implemented by the Ministry of Defence has required the application of the Family Test.
Asked by: Fiona Bruce (Conservative - Congleton)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what assessment he has made of the implications for his policies of the range of international operations being undertaken by the armed forces.
Answered by Mike Penning
British Forces are involved in more than 25 operations in over 20 countries. Backed by our rising Defence budget we are investing in the people and capabilities to ensure we continue to play a global role in order to keep our country safe.
Asked by: Fiona Bruce (Conservative - Congleton)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, when the most recent Code of Social Conduct was issued for the armed forces; if he will place in the Library a copy of that code: what restrictions that code contains on sexual activity by service personnel; and whether adultery continues to be a ground for discharge from the armed forces.
Answered by Lord Lancaster of Kimbolton
The Armed Forces Code of Social Conduct (AF CSC) is contained in Part 1 of Joint Service Publication (JSP) 887 entitled 'Diversity Inclusion and Social Conduct'; this publication was most recently updated in December 2014. A copy of JSP 887 has been placed in the Library of the House.
Adultery, per se, does not constitute grounds for dismissal from the Armed Forces. However, if the actions or behaviour of an individual adversely impact, or are likely to impact, on the efficiency or operational effectiveness of the Service then a range of sanctions may be applied, up to and including dismissal.
The AF CSC does not provide a prescriptive list of restrictions on sexual activity; it provides examples of the kinds of conduct or relationship that may constitute social misbehaviour. This includes unwelcome sexual attention; over-familiarity with the spouses or partners of other Service personnel; behaviour which damages or hazards the marriage or personal relationships of Service personnel or civilian colleagues within the wider Defence community; and taking sexual advantage of subordinates.
The seriousness with which misconduct will be regarded by a Commanding Officer will depend on the individual circumstances that prevail at that time and the potential for adversely affecting operational effectiveness. Nevertheless, misconduct involving abuse of position, trust or rank, or taking advantage of an individual's separation will be viewed as being particularly serious.