Asked by: James Gray (Conservative - North Wiltshire)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many armed forces personnel were dishonourably discharged between 1980 and 2000 because of their sexual orientation.
Answered by Leo Docherty - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for the Armed Forces)
The Ministry of Defence and the Office for Veterans’ Affairs within the Cabinet Office are jointly commissioning an independent review to better understand the impacts and implications of the pre 2000 ban on homosexuals serving in the Armed Forces. The review underlines Defence’s unwavering commitment to understanding how best to support its veteran and LGBT+ community. Defence recognises and accepts that its historic policies were unacceptable and that its LGBT+ veteran community suffered as a consequence.
The scope of those dishonourably discharged due to their sexual orientation is currently unknown and a cross-departmental programme of work is underway to better understand the size of the affected cohort. Defence expects the review will provide further context and insights into the lived experience of our veteran community and allow us to take effective and genuine steps towards a more inclusive future for all.
Work is currently underway to appoint an independent review chair and the independent review is expected to commence in the near future following their appointment. The independent review chair and the terms of reference for the review will be announced in due course. The independent review team can be contacted via email: Lgbtveteransreview@cabinetoffice.gov.uk
Defence is proactively working with the Home Office to enable more veterans to apply for a disregard of service convictions relating to sexuality. We have also introduced policy allowing veterans to apply for restoration of medals forfeited upon dismissal based on sexuality. To date, seven applications have been received and one veteran has had their medals restored. The other cases remain under review in light of the recent Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act 2022. Every case has required careful consideration of the circumstances and reference to contemporary records – some from several decades ago. We invite any personnel who were discharged from service due to their sexuality, to apply to have their forfeited medals restored by visiting: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/military-awards-commemorations
We take the wellbeing of all those who have served extremely seriously and are determined that the Armed Forces Covenant is upheld, meaning those who serve or have served in the Armed Forces, and their families, are treated fairly and all veterans, irrespective of when they served and how they left the Services are entitled to access the provisions of the Covenant. Former service personnel can access specialist medical care from the NHS, and every part of the UK now has a dedicated mental health service for veterans. Veterans can also call the Defence-funded 24-hour helpline, the Veterans’ Gateway, in times of need: https://www.veteransgateway.org.uk (0808 802 1212)
Asked by: James Gray (Conservative - North Wiltshire)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, when the chair of the independent review into the impact of the pre-2000 ban of homosexual personnel in the military will be appointed, and the remit of that group agreed.
Answered by Leo Docherty - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for the Armed Forces)
Defence remains proud of all our LGBT+ military and civilian personnel and the significant contributions they make to ensure our security, support our national interests, and safeguard our prosperity. The Ministry of Defence (MOD) and the Office for Veterans’ Affairs are jointly commissioning an independent review to better understand the impacts and implications of the pre-2000 ban on homosexuals serving in HM Armed Forces. The review underlines the MOD’s unwavering commitment to understanding how best to support its veteran and LGBT+ community. Work is currently underway to appoint an independent review chair and the independent review is expected to commence in the near future, following their appointment. The independent review chair and the terms of reference for the review will be announced in due course.
Asked by: James Gray (Conservative - North Wiltshire)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 17 September 2021 to Question 48135 on Reserve Forces, whether he plans to publish the 2021 annual report produced by the Reserve Forces External Scrutiny Team before its author, Major General Simon Lalor, addresses the APPG for Armed Forces on Monday 8 December 2021.
Answered by James Heappey
We anticipate the report should be placed in the Library of the House prior to 8 December 2021.
Asked by: James Gray (Conservative - North Wiltshire)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, when he plans to publish the 2021 annual report produced by the Reserve Forces External Scrutiny Team; and if he will place a copy of that report in the Library.
Answered by James Heappey
We are very grateful to the External Scrutiny Team for their work. The Ministry of Defence will place their 2021 report in the Library of the House in the next few weeks.
Asked by: James Gray (Conservative - North Wiltshire)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, when the Government plans to allow (a) boat owners to visit marinas and (b) marinas to re-open as the covid-19 restrictions are eased; what discussions he has had with representatives of the Royal Yachting Association on re-opening marinas for boat owners; for what reason marinas were not specifically mentioned in the Government's Covid-19 Response: Spring 2021 roadmap, published on 22 February 2021; and how boat owners can gain access to their boats for regular maintenance while marinas are closed during the covid-19 lockdown.
Answered by Rebecca Pow - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The Government’s four-step roadmap has been informed by the latest scientific evidence and seeks a balance between our key social and economic priorities, while preserving the health and safety of the country. The approach focuses on scientific data, not hard and fast dates. The dates shown in the roadmap are the earliest that changes will be made, subject to the data confirming it is safe to do so.
Marinas have not been required to close during the lockdown and have been able to open for permitted activities. Boating activities, including access to marinas and their re-opening where they are closed, should be conducted in line with the roadmap. The Royal Yachting Association is represented at regular stakeholder meetings between Defra officials and other inland waterway representatives.
Boat owners wishing to access their boats during periods of national lockdown should consult the relevant coronavirus regulations and associated guidance on the GOV.UK website to determine what is and is not permitted. Navigation authorities, other industry representatives, and membership bodies in many instances also publish guidance for their waterways on their websites.
Non-essential travel is not permitted anywhere in England during the national lockdown, and while the regulations around essential travel do include some exemptions, attending to regular boat maintenance is not one of them. The regulations allow for an individual or company to employ someone in a professional capacity to visit their boat to undertake regular maintenance works, and they also allow people to leave home exceptionally to secure their second home, caravan or boat to avoid it posing a risk of harm or injury to themselves or others.
From 29 March, people will no longer be legally required to Stay at Home, but should continue to minimise travel wherever possible and should not be staying away from home overnight at this stage.
Asked by: James Gray (Conservative - North Wiltshire)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what time period is covered by the contract between his Department and Babcock for light aircraft flying training.
Answered by Jeremy Quin
The Light Aircraft Flying Training 2 contract was awarded to VT Aerospace Ltd in 2009. The contract was transferred to Babcock International following their takeover of VT Aerospace Ltd in 2010; it has been extended under its terms and is due to run until 2022.
Asked by: James Gray (Conservative - North Wiltshire)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many (a) Army and (b) Royal Navy pilots are planned to be streamed through project TELUM per year.
Answered by James Heappey
The Royal Navy will assess approximately 48 candidates per year and the Army will assess approximately 90 candidates per year.
Asked by: James Gray (Conservative - North Wiltshire)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the average qualification failure rate was for (a) Army and (b) Navy pilots that have successfully streamed in the most recent period for which figures are available.
Answered by James Heappey
For the current financial year fewer than ten Royal Navy and Army pilots failed flying training, following grading/streaming.
Asked by: James Gray (Conservative - North Wiltshire)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, when the contract for Light Aircraft Flying Training 2 is due to be renewed.
Answered by Jeremy Quin
The Light Aircraft Flying Training 2 contract was awarded to VT Aerospace Ltd in 2009. The contract was transferred to Babcock International following their takeover of VT Aerospace Ltd in 2010; it has been extended under its terms and is due to run until 2022.
Asked by: James Gray (Conservative - North Wiltshire)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what assessment he has made of the circumstances of previous fatal accidents involving Air Cadets; and what steps he is taking to ensure contracts held by his Department deliver the highest practicable level of safety.
Answered by James Heappey
The RAF has introduced a number of safety enhancements on its aircraft, including the addition of electronic Collision Warning Systems on the Tutor aircraft. Military Aviation, including cadet flying, is now governed by a Duty Holder system in which senior responsible officers are held accountable to ensure that all safety risks are managed to as low as reasonably practicable. Contractors are required to comply with the safety standards in place and the Tutor fleet has operated safely under the Light Aircraft Flying Training 2 contract.