Question to the Ministry of Defence:

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.

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

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.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

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.

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

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.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask His Majesty's Government whether UK service personnel and their families will be subject to the provisions of the Armed Forces Commissioner Bill when serving in Gibraltar.

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

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.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

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.

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

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.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

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.

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

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.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

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.

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

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.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

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.

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

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

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

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.

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

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

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

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.

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

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

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

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.

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

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

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government which external consultants or advisors, if any, have been involved in the negotiations with Mauritius over the Chagos Islands.

Answered by Baroness Chapman of Darlington - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

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.