Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether his Department has issued guidance on support for (a) LGBT and (b) transgender armed forces personnel.

All three Services provide guidance on LGBT matters through their web portals, directing personnel to the LGBT champions and active LGBT networks.

Since the lifting of the ban on LGBT personnel serving in the military in the year 2000, the Ministry of Defence (MOD) has welcomed and supported all staff, irrespective of sexual orientation, actively celebrating and supporting the diversity of all our personnel. Service personnel who have indicated a wish to change their gender are given the necessary support during and after transition. Transgender policy/guidance is in place to enable this. Other support is also available including through LGBT champions, both military and civilian, senior LGBT role models, active LGBT networks and over 150 personnel trained by Stonewall as LGBT allies. The single Services and MOD civilians took part in the 2018 Stonewall Workplace Equality Index and all were ranked, with both the Royal Navy and Army being placed in the Top 100 Employers. In March 2018, for the second year running, MOD flew the transgender flag to mark Transgender Day of Visibility. MOD will once again be flying the rainbow flag from the top of our Main Building, as LGBT Service personnel march alongside their civilian colleagues at London Pride 2018.