Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what steps his Department is taking to establish accountability for administrative errors resulting in Armed Forces Pension Scheme overpayments.

The Ministry of Defence (MOD) has established governance, assurance and contractual arrangements to identify administrative errors, understand their causes and hold suppliers to account where appropriate. These include performance monitoring, quality and assurance activity, and the investigation of identified failures.

The MOD actively manages supplier performance through its contractual arrangements. Where contractual requirements are not met, appropriate remedies may be applied, including Key Performance Indicator Failure Charges and other contractual deductions. Where contracts permit, contractual remedies have been applied in relation to Armed Forces pension administration.

Any further claims arising from pension administration errors are considered on a case-by-case basis, taking account of the circumstances of each case, including the extent of supplier responsibility and the steps taken to mitigate and recover any loss.