Lord Lancaster of Kimbolton Portrait

Lord Lancaster of Kimbolton

Conservative - Milton Keynes North

Became Member: 16th September 2020


Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)
13th Jun 2017 - 12th Dec 2019
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence)
8th May 2015 - 13th Jun 2017
Lord Commissioner (HM Treasury) (Whip)
6th Sep 2012 - 8th May 2015
Armed Forces Bill Committee
17th Jan 2011 - 8th Mar 2011
Shadow Minister (International Development)
6th Jul 2007 - 6th May 2010
International Development Committee
13th Jul 2009 - 6th May 2010
Housing, Communities and Local Government Committee
17th Apr 2008 - 21st May 2009
Levelling Up, Housing and Communities Committee
17th Apr 2008 - 21st May 2009
Opposition Whip (Commons)
8th Nov 2006 - 6th Jul 2007
Defence Committee
16th Jan 2006 - 27th Nov 2006
Office of the Deputy Prime Minister: Housing, Planning, Local Government and the Regions Committee
12th Jul 2005 - 16th Jan 2006


Division Voting information

During the current Parliament, Lord Lancaster of Kimbolton has voted in 7 divisions, and never against the majority of their Party.
View All Lord Lancaster of Kimbolton Division Votes

Debates during the 2024 Parliament

Speeches made during Parliamentary debates are recorded in Hansard. For ease of browsing we have grouped debates into individual, departmental and legislative categories.

Sparring Partners
Baroness Chapman of Darlington (Labour)
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
(6 debate interactions)
Lord Coaker (Labour)
Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)
(5 debate interactions)
Lord Hendy of Richmond Hill (Labour)
Minister of State (Department for Transport)
(2 debate interactions)
View All Sparring Partners
Department Debates
Ministry of Defence
(4 debate contributions)
Department for Transport
(1 debate contributions)
View All Department Debates
Legislation Debates
Lord Lancaster of Kimbolton has not made any spoken contributions to legislative debate
View all Lord Lancaster of Kimbolton's debates

Lords initiatives

These initiatives were driven by Lord Lancaster of Kimbolton, and are more likely to reflect personal policy preferences.


1 Bill introduced by Lord Lancaster of Kimbolton


The Bill would amend the Coinage Act 1971 to enable the Royal Mint to strike commemorative coins of one kilogram or more for the 2012 London Olympics.

This Bill received Royal Assent on 3rd November 2011 and was enacted into law.

Lord Lancaster of Kimbolton has not co-sponsored any Bills in the current parliamentary sitting


Latest 18 Written Questions

(View all written questions)
Written Questions can be tabled by MPs and Lords to request specific information information on the work, policy and activities of a Government Department
11th Sep 2024
To ask His Majesty's Government why in their proposals to reform the eligible membership of the House of Lords they have not included consideration of the bishops.

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.

Baroness Twycross
Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
12th Sep 2024
To ask His Majesty's Government what activities they have carried out to support Child Cancer Awareness Month.

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.

Baroness Merron
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
12th Sep 2024
To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for the Department of Health and Social Care on 6 September (HC2283), why they have paused the work of the Child and Young Person Cancer Task force.

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.

Baroness Merron
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
29th Oct 2024
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of whether the recent election in Georgia was free and fair.

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.

Baroness Chapman of Darlington
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
22nd Oct 2024
To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Chapman of Darlington on 14 October (HL1256), what plans they have for a ministerial visit to Diego Garcia before legislation relating to the sovereignty of the Chagos Islands is introduced to Parliament.

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.

Baroness Chapman of Darlington
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
7th Oct 2024
To ask His Majesty's Government what were all the ministerial visits to Diego Garcia (British Indian Ocean Territory) since 1 January 2015.

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.

Baroness Chapman of Darlington
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
16th Dec 2024
To ask His Majesty's Government what the budget for the office of the Service Complaints Ombudsman for the Armed Forces has been for each year since its creation on 1 January 2016.

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

Lord Coaker
Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)
16th Dec 2024
To ask His Majesty's Government what the projected budget is for the office of the Service Complaints Ombudsman for the Armed Forces for 2025–26.

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

Lord Coaker
Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)
16th Dec 2024
To ask His Majesty's Government what budget has been allocated by each of the Ministry of Defence’s six Top Level Budget (TLB) areas to the office of the Service Complaints Ombudsman since 2016, by (1) year and (2) TLB area.

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

Lord Coaker
Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)
16th Dec 2024
To ask His Majesty's Government what budget will be allocated by the Ministry of Defence’s Single Service Top Level Budget (TLB) areas to the office of the Service Complaints Ombudsman for 2025–26 by TLB area.

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

Lord Coaker
Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)
25th Nov 2024
To ask His Majesty's Government whether the provisions of the Armed Forces Commissioner Bill will apply equally to both (1) regular, and (2) reserve personnel, and their families.

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.

Lord Coaker
Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)
25th Nov 2024
To ask His Majesty's Government whether members of the Royal Gibraltar Regiment and their families will be subject to the provisions of the Armed Forces Commissioner Bill when serving (1) in the United Kingdom, (2) in Gibraltar, or (3) elsewhere in the world.

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.

Lord Coaker
Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)
25th Nov 2024
To ask His Majesty's Government whether service personnel undertaking a leave of absence will be subject to the provisions of the Armed Forces Commissioner Bill.

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.

Lord Coaker
Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)
25th Nov 2024
To ask His Majesty's Government whether the provisions of the Armed Forces Commissioner Bill will require amendments to the Reserve Forces Act 1996 in addition to the Armed Forces Act 2006.

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.

Lord Coaker
Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)
25th Nov 2024
To ask His Majesty's Government under what circumstances they anticipate the provisions of the Armed Forces Commissioner Bill will be extended to the Overseas Territories and Crown Dependencies.

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.

Lord Coaker
Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)
31st Oct 2024
To ask His Majesty's Government, following the announcement in the Autumn Budget of £2.9 billion additional funding for the Ministry of Defence, how this amount is broken down, and what restrictions will be placed on how it can be spent.

There will be no additional restrictions on the £2.9 billion increase in funding for the next financial year. The allocation of funding for financial year 2025-26 has yet to take place.

Lord Coaker
Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)
31st Oct 2024
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of revising the maximum allowed increase to council tax by local authorities of 4.99 per cent per year.

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.

Baroness Taylor of Stevenage
Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)