Lord Lancaster of Kimbolton

In its manifesto, the Government promised to bring about an immediate reform by removing the right of hereditary peers to sit and vote in the House of Lords.

The Government has now introduced legislation to implement this reform. This is a first step in taking forward the Government's commitments to wider reform of the House of Lords, including the introduction of a retirement age, a new participation requirement, changes to the appointments process, as well as establishing an alternative second chamber that is more representative of the regions and nations of the UK.

We are committed to helping the NHS diagnose cancer on time, diagnose it earlier and treat it faster so that more patients survive this horrible set of diseases. We are also committed to improving patients’ experience across the system. This includes children and young people cancer and their families.

The Department is currently reviewing the work of the Children and Young People’s Cancer Taskforce and are in the process of considering next steps for taking forward the Taskforce's work.

The Children and Young People’s Cancer Taskforce was paused so that ministers could assess the work of the taskforce so far and determine how it fitted into the Government’s priorities for the Department. Although the taskforce has been paused, the work carried out to date has been valuable, and remains important to the Department's work. We are committed to progressing work in this area, and are in the process of considering next steps for taking forward the taskforce's work and leadership.

The Government has sought external legal advice at various times throughout the negotiations with Mauritius. The specific counsel instructed has depended on the nature of the legal issues involved. Counsel have a professional obligation not to accept instructions where there is a conflict of interest.

Jonathan Powell was appointed as the PM's Envoy for the BIOT sovereignty negotiations on 6 September 2024. He started his role as the UK's National Security Adviser on 2 December. However, he will continue to engage on matters related to BIOT. The Government has also received external legal advice in relation to the negotiations with Mauritius over BIOT/the Chagos Archipelago over the course of several years.

In Minister of State Stephen Doughty's 27 October statement he made clear his support for the findings of the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights' election monitoring mission preliminary report on Georgia's election. That report notes that the election day itself was well-organised and administered in an orderly environment. However, it also highlighted a range of concerns, including frequent breaches of voter secrecy, procedural inconsistencies, as well as reports of intimidation and pressure on voters that negatively impacted public trust in the process. Allegations of irregularities must be investigated thoroughly and independently.

There are currently no plans for Ministers to visit Diego Garcia. The UK's Chief Negotiator, Harriet Mathews, and members of the UK's negotiating team visited the British Indian Ocean Territory in June 2024. Ministerial travel plans are not routinely published in advance of official Government visits.

Former FCDO Minister Sir James Duddridge visited the British Indian Ocean Territory in November 2015 and Former MoD Minister Lord Lancaster visited between September and October 2019.

The funding for the office of the Service Complaints Ombudsman for the Armed Forces (SCOAF) is provided wholly through the Ministry of Defence’s Head Office and Corporate Services Top Level Budget (TLB) and agreed annually. The Ombudsman has discretion over how those funds are used and publishes details of expenditure in their annual report to Parliament.

Since the creation of the role of the SCOAF in 2016, each of their annual reports to Parliament have included, as an appendix, a financial statement detailing expenditure incurred for that year. This information can be accessed on the Service Complaints Ombudsman’s website: https://www.scoaf.org.uk/application-forms-factsheets-and-pamphlets/scoaf-annual-reports

Whilst the projected budget for Financial Year 2025-26 has not yet been confirmed, we would expect this to be broadly the same as the previous year. Further information on their budget and allocation can be found in the SCOAF Business Plan on the SCOAF’s website: https://www.scoaf.org.uk/sites/default/files/2024-05/scoaf_business_plan_2024_25.pdf

The funding for the office of the Service Complaints Ombudsman for the Armed Forces (SCOAF) is provided wholly through the Ministry of Defence’s Head Office and Corporate Services Top Level Budget (TLB) and agreed annually. The Ombudsman has discretion over how those funds are used and publishes details of expenditure in their annual report to Parliament.

Since the creation of the role of the SCOAF in 2016, each of their annual reports to Parliament have included, as an appendix, a financial statement detailing expenditure incurred for that year. This information can be accessed on the Service Complaints Ombudsman’s website: https://www.scoaf.org.uk/application-forms-factsheets-and-pamphlets/scoaf-annual-reports

Whilst the projected budget for Financial Year 2025-26 has not yet been confirmed, we would expect this to be broadly the same as the previous year. Further information on their budget and allocation can be found in the SCOAF Business Plan on the SCOAF’s website: https://www.scoaf.org.uk/sites/default/files/2024-05/scoaf_business_plan_2024_25.pdf

The funding for the office of the Service Complaints Ombudsman for the Armed Forces (SCOAF) is provided wholly through the Ministry of Defence’s Head Office and Corporate Services Top Level Budget (TLB) and agreed annually. The Ombudsman has discretion over how those funds are used and publishes details of expenditure in their annual report to Parliament.

Since the creation of the role of the SCOAF in 2016, each of their annual reports to Parliament have included, as an appendix, a financial statement detailing expenditure incurred for that year. This information can be accessed on the Service Complaints Ombudsman’s website: https://www.scoaf.org.uk/application-forms-factsheets-and-pamphlets/scoaf-annual-reports

Whilst the projected budget for Financial Year 2025-26 has not yet been confirmed, we would expect this to be broadly the same as the previous year. Further information on their budget and allocation can be found in the SCOAF Business Plan on the SCOAF’s website: https://www.scoaf.org.uk/sites/default/files/2024-05/scoaf_business_plan_2024_25.pdf

The funding for the office of the Service Complaints Ombudsman for the Armed Forces (SCOAF) is provided wholly through the Ministry of Defence’s Head Office and Corporate Services Top Level Budget (TLB) and agreed annually. The Ombudsman has discretion over how those funds are used and publishes details of expenditure in their annual report to Parliament.

Since the creation of the role of the SCOAF in 2016, each of their annual reports to Parliament have included, as an appendix, a financial statement detailing expenditure incurred for that year. This information can be accessed on the Service Complaints Ombudsman’s website: https://www.scoaf.org.uk/application-forms-factsheets-and-pamphlets/scoaf-annual-reports

Whilst the projected budget for Financial Year 2025-26 has not yet been confirmed, we would expect this to be broadly the same as the previous year. Further information on their budget and allocation can be found in the SCOAF Business Plan on the SCOAF’s website: https://www.scoaf.org.uk/sites/default/files/2024-05/scoaf_business_plan_2024_25.pdf

All Serving personnel, defined in the Armed Forces Commissioner Bill as any individual subject to Service law, whether in the UK or overseas, will be entitled to raise a general welfare matter or a Service Complaint with the Commissioner.

The Commissioner may investigate general service welfare matters that arise in connection with the ongoing service of persons subject to service law and which may materially affect the welfare of those persons or relevant family members. Provided a matter falls into this scope, it is at the Commissioner’s discretion what they investigate, and this would likely be determined on a case-by-case basis.

Members of the Reserve Forces and personnel undertaking a leave of absence will be entitled to raise a matter with the Commissioner, provided the Commissioner considers that the matter falls within the scope outlined above.

The Bill includes permissive extent clauses to allow the Overseas Territories and Crown Dependencies to choose if they want to extend this legislation into their own statute books.

No amendments are anticipated to the Reserve Forces Act 1996.

The Government has confirmed that it will not increase council tax referendum principles above the current 3% core council tax principle and the 2% principle for the adult social care precept, in line with the OBR forecasting. This is a continuation of the previous government’s policy. Further details will be set out at the local government finance settlement.