Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask His Majesty's Government what recent assessment they have made of the varied needs of the families of those serving in the armed forces; what steps they have taken to increase support available to those families; and to what extent they have addressed the recommendations outlined in the report commissioned by the Ministry of Defence, Living in our shoes: understanding the needs of UK Armed Forces Families published in June 2020.

Defence recognises the important role that families play in supporting our Armed Forces, which is why in 2022 we published our UK Armed Forces Families Strategy 2022 – 2032. There is much crossover between the Living in Our Shoes report and the Families Strategy Action Plan, with two authors of the report holding Defence to account via our Families Strategy Steering Group and progress being reported biannually to Ministers and being placed on record in the annual Armed Forces Covenant and Veterans Report.

The needs of families are constantly evolving, which is why Defence undertakes an annual Tri-Service Families Continuous Attitude Survey (FAMCAS). FAMCAS captures the key issues impacting our families which we then work to relieve. This may be achieved through direct intervention, for example via the Defence-funded Wraparound Childcare scheme, or by collaborating closely with other stakeholders or Government Departments, such as with the Office for Students to ensure that Service children are recognised within its Equality of Opportunity Risk Register.