Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether his Department has (a) implemented a domestic abuse policy for staff and (b) trained line managers to effectively respond to staff who are experiencing domestic abuse.

Defence is fully committed to supporting staff affected by domestic abuse and will continue to do so through dedicated awareness campaigns and training. Addressing domestic abuse is a ministerial priority and a shared responsibility for Defence leaders, as detailed in the Ministry of Defence Domestic Abuse Action Plan 2024-2029.

Defence has a dedicated whole force policy on domestic abuse, Joint Service Publication (JSP) 913, which provides specific guidance for line managers. JSP_913_Whole_Force_Policy_on_Domestic_Abuse_-_Part_2_Guidance.pdf

While Defence does not yet formally train line managers to respond to domestic abuse, we are undertaking work aligned to this approach. In our current action plan, we have committed to developing a staff briefing to further promote workplace support and set out line manager actions. This work is well underway and near completion. Defence is also an active member of the Employers’ Initiative on Domestic Abuse (EIDA).