Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to his Department's response to the Quinquennial Review of the Armed Forces Compensation Scheme 2023 published on 21 March 2024, what progress he has made on establishing the Communications and Training Working Group; and what is the (a) membership and (b) terms of reference of that group.

The Government response to the Quinquennial Review (QQR) of the Armed Forces Compensation Scheme 2022-23 was published on 21 March 2024 under the previous administration.

The Communication and Training Working Group was not recommended in the QQR, but was a suggestion in the previous Government's response to resolve recommendations 5, 6, 7 and 8, relating to improving operational transparency, accuracy and communication.

We are focusing on the modernisation of pensions and compensation services including improving, digitalisation and consolidation of core member data records into a single system, as well as the planned introduction of an online member self-service portal.