Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask His Majesty's Government what oversight of Equiniti and Sopra Steria they exercise in relation to the payment of pensions to service personnel after the mispayment of pensions has come to light; and what oversight they previously exercised.

Answered by Lord Coaker - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)

Equinity is a sub-contractor of Sopra Steria and pays approximately 477,000 Armed Forces Pensions annually on behalf of the Ministry of Defence. 335 individuals were overpaid a total of £5.1 million, owing to National Insurance (NI) abatement calculation errors by the paying agent Equinity. This represents a small proportion of payments and are not reflective of the overall payment service provided.

The Ministry of Defence (MOD) exercises oversight through established governance, contract management, assurance and audit arrangements. These include contractual performance monitoring, regular service reporting, quality assurance activity undertaken by the service providers, independent assurance reviews commissioned by the Authority, and external scrutiny through established audit processes. The Armed Forces Pension Scheme is also subject to review by the Government Internal Audit Agency and examination by the National Audit Office as part of wider governance, risk and assurance arrangements. Following identification of the National Insurance abatement issue, additional oversight arrangements were introduced to monitor corrective activity, review root causes, validate proposed corrections, track progress against remediation plans and strengthen preventative and detective controls designed to reduce the risk of similar issues arising in future.

The MOD first identified that there was a potential issue relating to the application of National Insurance abatements in November 2024. Further extensive work was subsequently undertaken to establish the full extent of the issue, determine the affected population and validate individual cases before corrective action could commence. Corrective activity commenced following identification of the affected population, completion of calculation and assurance activity, and approval of the proposed corrective approach. Revision of affected awards and notification of individuals commenced in January 2026.

We recognise that this situation may cause uncertainty for those affected and continue to provide comprehensive one-to-one welfare support from Veterans Services Welfare managers. Anyone who believes repayment may not be possible, or could cause financial hardship should contact the Ministry of Defence using the details provide in their letters.

Individuals can make a defence against recovery based on an assessment of their personal circumstances. Guidance on valid reasons for disputing repayment can be found in Managing Public Money - Annex 4.11. (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/managing-public-money

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask His Majesty's Government when Sopra Steria and Equiniti became aware of mistakes being made in the mispayment of pensions to veterans; and when those mistakes were conveyed to veteran pensioners.

Answered by Lord Coaker - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)

Equinity is a sub-contractor of Sopra Steria and pays approximately 477,000 Armed Forces Pensions annually on behalf of the Ministry of Defence. 335 individuals were overpaid a total of £5.1 million, owing to National Insurance (NI) abatement calculation errors by the paying agent Equinity. This represents a small proportion of payments and are not reflective of the overall payment service provided.

The Ministry of Defence (MOD) exercises oversight through established governance, contract management, assurance and audit arrangements. These include contractual performance monitoring, regular service reporting, quality assurance activity undertaken by the service providers, independent assurance reviews commissioned by the Authority, and external scrutiny through established audit processes. The Armed Forces Pension Scheme is also subject to review by the Government Internal Audit Agency and examination by the National Audit Office as part of wider governance, risk and assurance arrangements. Following identification of the National Insurance abatement issue, additional oversight arrangements were introduced to monitor corrective activity, review root causes, validate proposed corrections, track progress against remediation plans and strengthen preventative and detective controls designed to reduce the risk of similar issues arising in future.

The MOD first identified that there was a potential issue relating to the application of National Insurance abatements in November 2024. Further extensive work was subsequently undertaken to establish the full extent of the issue, determine the affected population and validate individual cases before corrective action could commence. Corrective activity commenced following identification of the affected population, completion of calculation and assurance activity, and approval of the proposed corrective approach. Revision of affected awards and notification of individuals commenced in January 2026.

We recognise that this situation may cause uncertainty for those affected and continue to provide comprehensive one-to-one welfare support from Veterans Services Welfare managers. Anyone who believes repayment may not be possible, or could cause financial hardship should contact the Ministry of Defence using the details provide in their letters.

Individuals can make a defence against recovery based on an assessment of their personal circumstances. Guidance on valid reasons for disputing repayment can be found in Managing Public Money - Annex 4.11. (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/managing-public-money

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the stress suffered by veterans in relation to the mispayment of pensions by Equiniti and Sopra Steria.

Answered by Lord Coaker - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)

Equinity is a sub-contractor of Sopra Steria and pays approximately 477,000 Armed Forces Pensions annually on behalf of the Ministry of Defence. 335 individuals were overpaid a total of £5.1 million, owing to National Insurance (NI) abatement calculation errors by the paying agent Equinity. This represents a small proportion of payments and are not reflective of the overall payment service provided.

The Ministry of Defence (MOD) exercises oversight through established governance, contract management, assurance and audit arrangements. These include contractual performance monitoring, regular service reporting, quality assurance activity undertaken by the service providers, independent assurance reviews commissioned by the Authority, and external scrutiny through established audit processes. The Armed Forces Pension Scheme is also subject to review by the Government Internal Audit Agency and examination by the National Audit Office as part of wider governance, risk and assurance arrangements. Following identification of the National Insurance abatement issue, additional oversight arrangements were introduced to monitor corrective activity, review root causes, validate proposed corrections, track progress against remediation plans and strengthen preventative and detective controls designed to reduce the risk of similar issues arising in future.

The MOD first identified that there was a potential issue relating to the application of National Insurance abatements in November 2024. Further extensive work was subsequently undertaken to establish the full extent of the issue, determine the affected population and validate individual cases before corrective action could commence. Corrective activity commenced following identification of the affected population, completion of calculation and assurance activity, and approval of the proposed corrective approach. Revision of affected awards and notification of individuals commenced in January 2026.

We recognise that this situation may cause uncertainty for those affected and continue to provide comprehensive one-to-one welfare support from Veterans Services Welfare managers. Anyone who believes repayment may not be possible, or could cause financial hardship should contact the Ministry of Defence using the details provide in their letters.

Individuals can make a defence against recovery based on an assessment of their personal circumstances. Guidance on valid reasons for disputing repayment can be found in Managing Public Money - Annex 4.11. (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/managing-public-money

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask His Majesty's Government what assistance they are offering to veterans in relation to the mispayment of pensions by Equiniti and Sopra Steria.

Answered by Lord Coaker - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)

Equinity is a sub-contractor of Sopra Steria and pays approximately 477,000 Armed Forces Pensions annually on behalf of the Ministry of Defence. 335 individuals were overpaid a total of £5.1 million, owing to National Insurance (NI) abatement calculation errors by the paying agent Equinity. This represents a small proportion of payments and are not reflective of the overall payment service provided.

The Ministry of Defence (MOD) exercises oversight through established governance, contract management, assurance and audit arrangements. These include contractual performance monitoring, regular service reporting, quality assurance activity undertaken by the service providers, independent assurance reviews commissioned by the Authority, and external scrutiny through established audit processes. The Armed Forces Pension Scheme is also subject to review by the Government Internal Audit Agency and examination by the National Audit Office as part of wider governance, risk and assurance arrangements. Following identification of the National Insurance abatement issue, additional oversight arrangements were introduced to monitor corrective activity, review root causes, validate proposed corrections, track progress against remediation plans and strengthen preventative and detective controls designed to reduce the risk of similar issues arising in future.

The MOD first identified that there was a potential issue relating to the application of National Insurance abatements in November 2024. Further extensive work was subsequently undertaken to establish the full extent of the issue, determine the affected population and validate individual cases before corrective action could commence. Corrective activity commenced following identification of the affected population, completion of calculation and assurance activity, and approval of the proposed corrective approach. Revision of affected awards and notification of individuals commenced in January 2026.

We recognise that this situation may cause uncertainty for those affected and continue to provide comprehensive one-to-one welfare support from Veterans Services Welfare managers. Anyone who believes repayment may not be possible, or could cause financial hardship should contact the Ministry of Defence using the details provide in their letters.

Individuals can make a defence against recovery based on an assessment of their personal circumstances. Guidance on valid reasons for disputing repayment can be found in Managing Public Money - Annex 4.11. (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/managing-public-money

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask His Majesty's Government how many veterans have been affected by the mispayment of pensions by Equiniti and Sopra Steria.

Answered by Lord Coaker - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)

Equinity is a sub-contractor of Sopra Steria and pays approximately 477,000 Armed Forces Pensions annually on behalf of the Ministry of Defence. 335 individuals were overpaid a total of £5.1 million, owing to National Insurance (NI) abatement calculation errors by the paying agent Equinity. This represents a small proportion of payments and are not reflective of the overall payment service provided.

The Ministry of Defence (MOD) exercises oversight through established governance, contract management, assurance and audit arrangements. These include contractual performance monitoring, regular service reporting, quality assurance activity undertaken by the service providers, independent assurance reviews commissioned by the Authority, and external scrutiny through established audit processes. The Armed Forces Pension Scheme is also subject to review by the Government Internal Audit Agency and examination by the National Audit Office as part of wider governance, risk and assurance arrangements. Following identification of the National Insurance abatement issue, additional oversight arrangements were introduced to monitor corrective activity, review root causes, validate proposed corrections, track progress against remediation plans and strengthen preventative and detective controls designed to reduce the risk of similar issues arising in future.

The MOD first identified that there was a potential issue relating to the application of National Insurance abatements in November 2024. Further extensive work was subsequently undertaken to establish the full extent of the issue, determine the affected population and validate individual cases before corrective action could commence. Corrective activity commenced following identification of the affected population, completion of calculation and assurance activity, and approval of the proposed corrective approach. Revision of affected awards and notification of individuals commenced in January 2026.

We recognise that this situation may cause uncertainty for those affected and continue to provide comprehensive one-to-one welfare support from Veterans Services Welfare managers. Anyone who believes repayment may not be possible, or could cause financial hardship should contact the Ministry of Defence using the details provide in their letters.

Individuals can make a defence against recovery based on an assessment of their personal circumstances. Guidance on valid reasons for disputing repayment can be found in Managing Public Money - Annex 4.11. (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/managing-public-money

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the ability of Equiniti and Sopra Steria to pay Ministry of Defence pensions to service personnel.

Answered by Lord Coaker - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)

Equinity is a sub-contractor of Sopra Steria and pays approximately 477,000 Armed Forces Pensions annually on behalf of the Ministry of Defence. 335 individuals were overpaid a total of £5.1 million, owing to National Insurance (NI) abatement calculation errors by the paying agent Equinity. This represents a small proportion of payments and are not reflective of the overall payment service provided.

The Ministry of Defence (MOD) exercises oversight through established governance, contract management, assurance and audit arrangements. These include contractual performance monitoring, regular service reporting, quality assurance activity undertaken by the service providers, independent assurance reviews commissioned by the Authority, and external scrutiny through established audit processes. The Armed Forces Pension Scheme is also subject to review by the Government Internal Audit Agency and examination by the National Audit Office as part of wider governance, risk and assurance arrangements. Following identification of the National Insurance abatement issue, additional oversight arrangements were introduced to monitor corrective activity, review root causes, validate proposed corrections, track progress against remediation plans and strengthen preventative and detective controls designed to reduce the risk of similar issues arising in future.

The MOD first identified that there was a potential issue relating to the application of National Insurance abatements in November 2024. Further extensive work was subsequently undertaken to establish the full extent of the issue, determine the affected population and validate individual cases before corrective action could commence. Corrective activity commenced following identification of the affected population, completion of calculation and assurance activity, and approval of the proposed corrective approach. Revision of affected awards and notification of individuals commenced in January 2026.

We recognise that this situation may cause uncertainty for those affected and continue to provide comprehensive one-to-one welfare support from Veterans Services Welfare managers. Anyone who believes repayment may not be possible, or could cause financial hardship should contact the Ministry of Defence using the details provide in their letters.

Individuals can make a defence against recovery based on an assessment of their personal circumstances. Guidance on valid reasons for disputing repayment can be found in Managing Public Money - Annex 4.11. (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/managing-public-money

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to encourage people to become blood donors, especially in connection with the need to provide blood to those with sickle cell disease.

Answered by Baroness Merron - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

I refer the Noble Lord to the answer provided in the House of Commons on 20 February in response to Question 112133, in particular points three and four. For ease of reference, this is reproduced below.

NHS Blood and Transplant (NHSBT) is responsible for blood services in England and is delivering initiatives to increase blood donations. These include:

1. increasing awareness of donation through high-profile year-round campaigns including National Blood Week and World Blood Donor Day alongside the use of social media such as TikTok to reach additional audiences;

2. using direct marketing, including phone calls, emails, and text messages, to encourage previous donors to book appointments and attend local sessions;

3. increasing appointment availability and targeting communities where specific blood types are most needed through initiatives such as the Community Grants Programme, with further information available on the NHSBT website; and

4. increasing the number of successful donation appointments by: improving pre-donation haemoglobin (Hb) testing, with low‑Hb deferral rates having fallen since the full rollout of new testing in September 2025; implementing a pilot translation service to reduce language‑related deferrals; and enhancing vein-identification training using ethnicity-specific training arms to help staff recognise vein characteristics across different skin tones and body.

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask His Majesty's Government whether they are continuing to enter into contracts with Arconic for the supply of cladding panels.

Answered by Baroness Blake of Leeds - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)

The Government remains committed to holding organisations to account for the failings identified by the Grenfell Tower Inquiry. Officials across Government continue to consider what further commercial measures may be appropriate while safeguarding the integrity of the criminal investigation. MHCLG does not enter into direct contracts with Arconic for the supply of cladding panels.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the assertion of former Veterans' Minister, Tobias Ellwood, that the Ministry of Defence deliberately withheld medical records of veterans who oversaw nuclear tests.

Answered by Lord Coaker - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)

The Government is deeply grateful to all those who participated in the UK nuclear testing programme. We owe an enduring debt of gratitude to the more than 22,000 Service personnel, scientists and civilians whose contributions helped safeguard the nation's security.

The Government has carefully considered concerns raised regarding the handling of records relating to the UK nuclear testing programme. To address long-standing questions from nuclear test veterans about blood and urine testing policies, an extensive records discovery exercise was commissioned and completed, examining tens of thousands of documents held by the Ministry of Defence.

The exercise found no evidence of intentional concealment of medical records. The findings were published along with an accompanying Written Ministerial Statement on 15 July 2026.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the treatment of nuclear test veterans in the United States and France; and what lessons they have learned from comparisons with those countries’ approaches to the provision of compensation for veterans affected by nuclear testing and their descendants.

Answered by Lord Coaker - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)

Arrangements and support for nuclear test veterans in other countries, including the United States and France, are matters for those governments.

In the United Kingdom, veterans who believe they have suffered ill health as a result of their service may apply for no-fault compensation under the War Pension Scheme, provided they served before 6 April 2005. Claims are considered on the basis of the available service and medical evidence, with the benefit of reasonable doubt given to the claimant, and decisions carry a full right of appeal to an independent tribunal.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask His Majesty's Government how many British military personnel who took part in nuclear weapons testing are currently alive; and what plans they have, if any, to compensate them.

Answered by Lord Coaker - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)

The Government is deeply grateful to all those who participated in the UK's nuclear testing programme and recognises their service and the significant contribution they made to the nation's security.

The Ministry of Defence does not hold information on how many British military personnel who participated in the UK's nuclear weapons testing programme are currently alive. It is estimated that around 22,000 Service personnel and civilians participated in the UK's nuclear testing programme between 1952 and 1967.

There is no dedicated compensation scheme for Nuclear Test Veterans and their families. However, veterans who believe they have suffered ill health as a result of their service may apply for no-fault compensation under the War Pension Scheme, provided they served before 6 April 2005.

War Pensions may be awarded for illness or injury caused by service in the Armed Forces, with the benefit of reasonable doubt given to the claimant. Claims are assessed on the basis of available service and medical evidence, medically certified, and carry a full right of appeal to an independent tribunal.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the assertion made by the then Mayor of Greater Manchester, Andy Burnham, in a June 2025 interview on Newsnight that there had been a cover-up concerning British veterans involved in nuclear weapons testing.

Answered by Lord Coaker - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)

The Government is deeply grateful to all those who participated in the UK nuclear testing programme. We owe an enduring debt of gratitude to the more than 22,000 Service personnel, scientists and civilians whose contributions helped safeguard the nation's security.

The Government has carefully considered concerns raised regarding the handling of records relating to the UK nuclear testing programme. To address long-standing questions from nuclear test veterans about blood and urine testing policies, an extensive records discovery exercise was commissioned and completed, examining tens of thousands of documents held by the Ministry of Defence.

The exercise found no evidence of intentional concealment of medical records. The findings were published along with an accompanying Written Ministerial Statement on 15 July 2026.

Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the efficacy of the Corporate Manslaughter and Corporate Homicide Act 2007 and other criminal law provisions relating to health and safety.

Answered by Lord Lemos - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Justice)

The Government keeps the effectiveness of the criminal law under review, including the Corporate Manslaughter and Corporate Homicide Act 2007. The 2007 Act created a specific offence to ensure that organisations can be held criminally accountable where serious management failures leading to a gross breach of a duty of care result in death. The offence has been used to secure convictions and substantial fines where the evidential test has been met.

The Ministry of Justice has not undertaken a recent formal review of the 2007 Act but continues to monitor its operation through relevant criminal justice agencies and enforcement authorities.

Question to the Attorney General:

To ask His Majesty's Government how many successful prosecutions for corporate manslaughter have been brought in each of the last five years.

Answered by Baroness Smith of Cluny - Advocate General for Scotland

Corporate manslaughter cases are considered by the CPS Special Crime Division, which handles some of the CPS’s most complex and sensitive casework.

Our manual records confirm the number of prosecution cases in which there was a conviction for corporate manslaughter in each of the last five years is as follows:

• 2022 – 3

• 2023 – 3

• 2024 – 2

• 2025 – 1

• 2026 – 0

The CPS does not collect data that constitutes official statistics as defined in the Statistics and Registration Service Act 2007. Therefore, this update is based upon our collated manual records that may be subject to possible errors with data entry and processing. These figures are provisional and subject to change as more information is recorded by the CPS.

Question to the Attorney General:

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the number of successful criminal  prosecutions brought following the Grenfell tragedy.

Answered by Baroness Smith of Cluny - Advocate General for Scotland

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government what representation they have made to the government of Serbia regarding the treatment afforded to Ratko Mladic's funeral in Serbia.

Answered by Lord Wood of Anfield - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

The UK remains unequivocal that there can be no place for genocide denial or glorification of war criminals. We continue to support international justice, accountability, and respect for the judgments of international tribunals. On 8 September, the UK's Special Envoy to the Western Balkans, Dame Karen Pierce, summoned the Serbian Chargé d'Affaires to condemn the participation of Serbian state and military officials in commemorations surrounding the funeral of Ratko Mladić, who was convicted of genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes by an international tribunal. The United Kingdom emphasised the importance of respecting established judicial facts, supporting regional reconciliation, and avoiding the glorification of convicted war criminals. His Majesty's Government's position was set out publicly in the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office statement of 8 September: UK summons Serbian Chargé d'Affaires to the United Kingdom.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Coaker on 15 September (HL2809), when the last personnel were notified of the overpayments of pension by government; and why it took over 12 months in all cases to notify personnel affected from the point at which an error was discovered.

Answered by Lord Coaker - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)

Equiniti Paymaster and Sopra Steria Ltd (UK) are private companies independent of Government. The Ministry of Defence (MOD) has contracted Sopra Steria Ltd since May 2020 to provide pension administration services. Equiniti Paymaster delivers payment services as a subcontractor to Sopra Steria and has no direct contract with the MOD.

The immediate priority for the MOD, Sopra Steria and Equiniti Paymaster is to identify affected cases, correct pension entitlements, and ensure members receive accurate information about their individual circumstances. Support is provided throughout, including tailored repayment plans and personalised financial and welfare assistance from Veterans Services. Where applicable, pension members may request an overpayment write-off from the MOD in accordance with HM Treasury's Managing Public Money guidelines, available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/managing-public-money.

Affected members have been notified in phases, with timing dependent on the nature and complexity of each case as reviews and assessments were completed. Most cases have been addressed, though some complex cases remain under review to confirm entitlement accuracy.

The delay in notifying affected pension members after initial identification of the issue was cause by the need to assess the full extent of the error, accurately identify all the affected individuals, and validate cases before corrective action could commence. His Majesty's Government recognises that errors in pension payments may cause uncertainty for individuals and regrets any concern resulting from delayed notifications. Measures have been strengthened to improve oversight and prevent recurrence.

The MOD's contractual arrangements with Sopra Steria include provisions relating to liabilities, insurance and risk management, with contractor performance managed through established commercial and governance processes. Investigations into the causes of errors are ongoing to establish root causes and whether any contractual obligations have been breached. These findings will guide any contractual remedies.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the answer by Lord Coaker on 15 September (HL2810), whether they ensure that Equiniti and Sopra have insurance cover for negligence; and if so, whether liability of the insurance provider for the damage caused by miscalculation has been investigated.

Answered by Lord Coaker - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)

Equiniti Paymaster and Sopra Steria Ltd (UK) are private companies independent of Government. The Ministry of Defence (MOD) has contracted Sopra Steria Ltd since May 2020 to provide pension administration services. Equiniti Paymaster delivers payment services as a subcontractor to Sopra Steria and has no direct contract with the MOD.

The immediate priority for the MOD, Sopra Steria and Equiniti Paymaster is to identify affected cases, correct pension entitlements, and ensure members receive accurate information about their individual circumstances. Support is provided throughout, including tailored repayment plans and personalised financial and welfare assistance from Veterans Services. Where applicable, pension members may request an overpayment write-off from the MOD in accordance with HM Treasury's Managing Public Money guidelines, available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/managing-public-money.

Affected members have been notified in phases, with timing dependent on the nature and complexity of each case as reviews and assessments were completed. Most cases have been addressed, though some complex cases remain under review to confirm entitlement accuracy.

The delay in notifying affected pension members after initial identification of the issue was cause by the need to assess the full extent of the error, accurately identify all the affected individuals, and validate cases before corrective action could commence. His Majesty's Government recognises that errors in pension payments may cause uncertainty for individuals and regrets any concern resulting from delayed notifications. Measures have been strengthened to improve oversight and prevent recurrence.

The MOD's contractual arrangements with Sopra Steria include provisions relating to liabilities, insurance and risk management, with contractor performance managed through established commercial and governance processes. Investigations into the causes of errors are ongoing to establish root causes and whether any contractual obligations have been breached. These findings will guide any contractual remedies.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Coaker on 15 September (HL2813), whether Equiniti and Sopra are  independent of government; and if so, what arrangements are in place to provide compensation for the harm caused to personnel and to government by the miscalculation errors affecting 335 personnel and increased work by the Ministry of Defence.

Answered by Lord Coaker - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)

Equiniti Paymaster and Sopra Steria Ltd (UK) are private companies independent of Government. The Ministry of Defence (MOD) has contracted Sopra Steria Ltd since May 2020 to provide pension administration services. Equiniti Paymaster delivers payment services as a subcontractor to Sopra Steria and has no direct contract with the MOD.

The immediate priority for the MOD, Sopra Steria and Equiniti Paymaster is to identify affected cases, correct pension entitlements, and ensure members receive accurate information about their individual circumstances. Support is provided throughout, including tailored repayment plans and personalised financial and welfare assistance from Veterans Services. Where applicable, pension members may request an overpayment write-off from the MOD in accordance with HM Treasury's Managing Public Money guidelines, available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/managing-public-money.

Affected members have been notified in phases, with timing dependent on the nature and complexity of each case as reviews and assessments were completed. Most cases have been addressed, though some complex cases remain under review to confirm entitlement accuracy.

The delay in notifying affected pension members after initial identification of the issue was cause by the need to assess the full extent of the error, accurately identify all the affected individuals, and validate cases before corrective action could commence. His Majesty's Government recognises that errors in pension payments may cause uncertainty for individuals and regrets any concern resulting from delayed notifications. Measures have been strengthened to improve oversight and prevent recurrence.

The MOD's contractual arrangements with Sopra Steria include provisions relating to liabilities, insurance and risk management, with contractor performance managed through established commercial and governance processes. Investigations into the causes of errors are ongoing to establish root causes and whether any contractual obligations have been breached. These findings will guide any contractual remedies.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask His Majesty's Government what criteria they used to award the Nuclear Test Medal; and what nuclear tests are eligible for an award.

Answered by Lord Coaker - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)

The Nuclear Test Medal is awarded to recognise service connected with the United Kingdom's nuclear testing programme between 1952 and 1967 and those personnel who took part in subsequent operations to monitor atmospheric nuclear tests conducted by other nations. The criteria have been expanded to now include all UK personnel who directly supported American atmospheric nuclear tests during the 1950s and 1960s, and UK personnel who were deployed from the UK in support of monitoring of French and Chinese atmospheric tests. Nearly 6,000 veterans (or awarded posthumously to the next of kin of eligible individuals) have received their Nuclear Test Medal in recognition of their service.

To qualify, individuals must have served at designated operational locations during the relevant periods, including participation in the UK nuclear test programme, support to US atmospheric nuclear tests under Operations BAGPIPES and DOMINIC, or deployment from the UK to monitor French and Chinese atmospheric nuclear tests. Eligibility is assessed against the published criteria, which specify the qualifying operations, locations, roles and periods of service required for the award.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask His Majesty's Government whether they have an official definition of the term "British nuclear test veteran"; if so, whether that definition includes British service personnel who were officially deployed to monitor foreign atmospheric nuclear tests after 1966, including personnel of RAF 543 Squadron and RAF 27 Squadron; and if not, whether they plan to establish and publish such a definition before determining the scope or membership of any future inquiry or tribunal concerning nuclear test veterans.

Answered by Lord Coaker - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)

There is no official definition of the term British nuclear test veteran. Existing processes, including the eligibility criteria for the Nuclear Test Medal, are considered sufficient for determining qualifying service for the relevant purpose. We have, however, taken a significant step in broadening recognition through the medal scheme by extending eligibility to all UK personnel who directly supported American atmospheric nuclear tests during the 1950s and 1960s, as well as those deployed from the UK to support the monitoring of French and Chinese atmospheric tests.

To date, nearly 6,000 veterans, or their next of kin where the veteran is deceased, have received the Nuclear Test Medal in recognition of their service. For further information on the criteria, please visit: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/nuclear-test-medal-eligibility-criteria

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask His Majesty's Government what is the official definition of the term British nuclear test veteran; whether that definition includes British service personnel who were officially deployed to monitor foreign atmospheric nuclear tests after 1966; and, if they are not included in the definition, whether they will establish and publish such a definition ahead of determining the scope or membership of any future inquiry or tribunal concerning nuclear test veterans.

Answered by Lord Coaker - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)

There is no official definition of the term British nuclear test veteran. Existing processes, including the eligibility criteria for the Nuclear Test Medal, are considered sufficient for determining qualifying service for the relevant purpose. We have, however, taken a significant step in broadening recognition through the medal scheme by extending eligibility to all UK personnel who directly supported American atmospheric nuclear tests during the 1950s and 1960s, as well as those deployed from the UK to support the monitoring of French and Chinese atmospheric tests.

To date, nearly 6,000 veterans, or their next of kin where the veteran is deceased, have received the Nuclear Test Medal in recognition of their service. For further information on the criteria, please visit: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/nuclear-test-medal-eligibility-criteria

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government what communication, if any, they had with the parents of Andrew Bagshaw following his death in January 2023, and ahead of the autopsy report.

Answered by Lord Wood of Anfield - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

I refer the Noble Lord to the answer provided on 14 May 2025 in response to Question HL6994. Which for ease has been reproduced below:

The Office of the Prosecutor General in Ukraine has already recorded over 160,000 allegations of war crimes committed since Russia's barbaric invasion in February 2022. The majority of these will be investigated by Ukraine and where appropriate tried in Ukrainian courts. The UK has provided over £11.3 million in funding to support Ukraine's domestic accountability efforts to ensure allegations of war crimes can be fully and fairly investigated, by independent, effective, and robust legal mechanisms. Investigations into the deaths of Andrew Bagshaw and Chris Parry are a matter for the Ukrainian authorities, and we would respond to any requests for UK support through the usual judicial co-operation channels. It would not be appropriate to comment on any such requests or cooperation. FCDO officials have been in contact with both men’s families, but for GDPR reasons it wouldn’t be appropriate to provide a running commentary on this.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the autopsy reports regarding the deaths of Andrew Bagshaw and Christopher Parry in Ukraine in January 2023; and what steps they are taking to further investigate their deaths.

Answered by Lord Wood of Anfield - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

I refer the Noble Lord to the answer provided on 14 May 2025 in response to Question HL6994. Which for ease has been reproduced below:

The Office of the Prosecutor General in Ukraine has already recorded over 160,000 allegations of war crimes committed since Russia's barbaric invasion in February 2022. The majority of these will be investigated by Ukraine and where appropriate tried in Ukrainian courts. The UK has provided over £11.3 million in funding to support Ukraine's domestic accountability efforts to ensure allegations of war crimes can be fully and fairly investigated, by independent, effective, and robust legal mechanisms. Investigations into the deaths of Andrew Bagshaw and Chris Parry are a matter for the Ukrainian authorities, and we would respond to any requests for UK support through the usual judicial co-operation channels. It would not be appropriate to comment on any such requests or cooperation. FCDO officials have been in contact with both men’s families, but for GDPR reasons it wouldn’t be appropriate to provide a running commentary on this.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Merron on 16 September (HL3142), what steps they are taking to promote blood donation in communities of African or Caribbean heritage given the prevalence of sickle cell disease among these groups.

Answered by Baroness Merron - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

NHS Blood and Transplant (NHSBT) is responsible for blood services in England and is delivering a range of initiatives to increase blood donation in African or Caribbean heritage communities. These include:

• the opening of a donation centre in Brixton in January 2025, aiming to encourage individuals of African or Caribbean heritage to donate, as part of NHSBT’s ongoing effort to diversify the communities where it locates donor centres and mobile collections;
• the NHSBT Community Grants Programme, which funds community and faith organisations to raise awareness, improve understanding, and encourage blood donation among minority ethnic communities; and
• measures to help more people donate successfully, including a pilot translation service to reduce language-related barriers, training to help staff recognise vein characteristics across different skin tones, and improved pre-donation haemoglobin testing.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask His Majesty's Government what personnel are eligible to be awarded the Nuclear Test Medal.

Answered by Lord Coaker - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)

The full eligibility criteria for the Nuclear Test Medal are available in the attached.