Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what assessment has he made of the effect of the covid-19 outbreak on the (a) financial viability and (b) operational effectiveness of defence charities.

The Secretary of State for Defence does not have a regulatory role in assessing the finances of Service charities. However, the Government is fully aware of the importance of Service charities and the role they play in society. As such, the Ministry of Defence (MOD) and the Office for Veterans' Affairs within the Cabinet Office have conducted sector analysis through the COVID Impact Fund and via regular engagement with sector partners such as the Confederation of Service Charities (COBSEO).

Where the MOD has contracted services in place with providers from the non-profit sector, we have ensured that these have continued throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. Across the wider sector, whilst the issue of operational effectiveness is handled directly by the Service charities, the Government has been working closely with COBSEO's topic-based clusters of charitable partners to develop our knowledge of sector issues and enhance our working relationships with the Service charities. This engagement includes receiving feedback from the COBSEO members' survey on the effects of the pandemic.