LGBT Veterans Independent Review

James Asser Excerpts

Thursday 31st October 2024 Commons Chamber

[Oliver Ryan]

My hon. Friend the Chair of the Select Committee—it is good to see him in his place—is completely right about the recommendations made as part of the review. I will come on to that point shortly.

I pay tribute to Fighting With Pride, an LGBT veterans charity, for the amazing work they do in advocating and supporting the health and wellbeing of LGBT veterans, service personnel and their families. I have met Craig Jones and Carl Austin-Behan, whose strength and work in this area have been invaluable to many. They make the important point, more eloquently than I, that this is about security. It is about the historic injustice of lives ruined by prison sentences, criminal records and being labelled as sex offenders, and the shame that brings. Indeed, Craig highlighted two particular cases to me. The first was of “Steven”, a man imprisoned for his sexuality during the 1980s while serving in Germany. The second is “David”, a Gulf war veteran imprisoned and registered as a sex offender in the mid ’90s, just months before I was born. This stuff is not ancient history.

Lord Etherton’s review makes stark the terrible experiences that so many LGBTQ veterans had to endure. His report bears out the painful reality of being forcibly removed from the armed forces, the harassment these people faced and the acute losses that such discrimination led to. As one veteran said, particularly poignantly,

“My ejection from the army made me homeless. My mother disowned me for ‘bringing shame to the family’ and I ended up living in a car with an unhealthy relationship with alcohol until I got myself back together. It took years.”

That summarises the deep emotional scars that have been left by a system that failed in its duty to protect those who served. My own constituent “Steven”—I would not be raising this issue without his lobbying throughout the campaign and since I became an MP—was not a gay man but was dismissed based on suspicion about his sexuality. He was left with a life in tatters, living in shame and anguish for years and his relationship with his family was broken because of the decision that was taken about him.

The review’s findings are both alarming and revealing, highlighting that even after the repeal of the ban LGBT veterans continued to face both discrimination and stigma—and many still face significant barriers in accessing the full range of benefits and services they deserve, underscoring how unwelcoming the culture can be for LGBT service members. It is unacceptable. It is not what we want for Britain and it cannot be what the armed forces are about. I know that the Minister agrees.

[James Asser (West Ham and Beckton) (Lab)]

It is 30 years since I began to get involved in campaigning on LGBT issues, so this is not as ancient history for me as it is for my hon. Friend as he is younger than me— I got that in before he did. I was speaking to a veteran last night. My hon. Friend has mentioned how this is still affecting people, and the world has changed significantly from when I started campaigning, when people were still being criminalised and convicted. But this is still a live issue for many people and there is concern among campaigners that many veterans are now getting older and time is running out for them to be able to resolve this.

[Oliver Ryan]

I thank my hon. Friend for that intervention and am grateful for his experience. It comes as a bit of a reality check that, especially as gay men, we stand on the shoulders of giants in this space. The people who have come before us have lived much more difficult lives and faced much more discrimination than we do, so the duty is on us to raise these points.

The report pointed out several aspects of the situation, pointing out in particular the mental health difficulties faced by LGBT veterans against the special nature of the experiences and traumas they were exposed to. They reported higher rates of suicide, homelessness and mental health issues that included, but were not limited to, symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder and depression. That is why a focus on targeted services is important to adjust to their needs.

Access to healthcare and support services was an additional concern raised by the review. Many LGBT veterans report difficulties in navigating the support system, and too often felt that their identities and experiences are not understood or respected, even in the present day. For these veterans, the lack of sensitivity and awareness in the system was a significant obstacle to receiving the care and support they deserve. It is essential that our systems cultivate an environment of understanding and respect going forward—one that acknowledges the distinct experience of LGBT veterans within the wider veteran support network.

The creation of dedicated support schemes tailored to the needs of LGBT veterans is another critical recommendation. These programmes should include peer-to-peer support, mental health resources and other services that acknowledge and validate the unique experiences of LGBT veterans. Peer support in particular can be an invaluable resource, offering veterans a safe space to share their experiences, build connections and receive encouragement from others who understand their journey. Increased outreach efforts are also essential to ensure that LGBT veterans are aware of the services available to them. For too long, many of those veterans have felt marginalised and disconnected from the resources intended to support them. We have to link those people up. Targeted communication strategies are needed to engage this community effectively, ensuring that they know their rights and the resources at their disposal. By proactively reaching out to LGBT veterans, we can foster a sense of belonging to ensure that they receive the support that they need.

Financial redress stands out as a key recommendation in Lord Etherton’s review, underscoring the need to compensate those affected by these historic wrongs. Although the previous Government offered a formal apology and took meaningful steps to implement many of the review’s recommendations, the allocated £50 million compensation scheme fund falls short, inadequately compensating the estimated 4,000 LGBT veterans and those affected by discriminatory practices. This amount is insufficient to address the depth of the harm inflicted or the number of people whose lives have been trashed in many cases. We must advocate for a more substantial commitment to financial redress—one that reflects the true scale of injustice endured by these individuals, and that seeks to make amends in a meaningful way. I know the Minister is genuinely alive to this; he is listening, and he and the Defence Secretary understand the plight of this community. I thank him for his continuing work in this area to support our veterans, especially as a man of service himself.

The independent LGBT veterans review provides a comprehensive road map to address the inequalities faced by LGBT veterans. By recognising the ongoing challenges, we can take decisive steps to implement the report’s recommendations. We can work towards creating a military and veteran support system that truly honours the service of all individuals, regardless of their sexual orientation or gender identity. This commitment to inclusivity and justice is not only a moral imperative, but a testament to the values we strive to uphold as a nation—values that I know the Minister and the Government agree with.

Let us take this opportunity to ensure that the sacrifices of all our veterans are acknowledged and respected. Let us all work together to build a future in which every service member is afforded the dignity and support they deserve, free from the shadow of discrimination. This is our chance to demonstrate our commitment to justice, to extend a hand to those we have wronged—including the review of financial redress—and to create a legacy of equality and respect within our armed forces today and for the future.

--- Later in debate ---

[Al Carns]

I thank my hon. Friend for that intervention. To link that to what my hon. Friend the Member for Brighton Kemptown and Peacehaven said, I am aware of recent speculation about the size of any fund and redress payments. It is not possible to have certainty about the number of applicants at the moment. It is also premature to estimate the size of the payment awards, but we are working to make sure that the broadest number of individuals receive payments. We acknowledge that along with those who were dismissed and discharged, many who were not were also impacted by the ban.

Of the 16 outstanding recommendations, six are for the Ministry of Defence and the Office for Veterans’ Affairs to implement, including the delivery of the memorial at the National Arboretum, which I had the pleasure of visiting last week. We are progressing those with the excellent staff from Fighting With Pride, who are here today. Ten of the outstanding recommendations are for the national health service, as my hon. Friend the Member for Burnley mentioned, and my team are in touch with Department of Health and Social Care colleagues to track that process.

My hon. Friend highlighted harrowing stories about the ban, which are tragically all too familiar. The Defence Secretary and I have sat down with a number of veterans affected by the ban, and I have heard about the different and profound ways that it has harmed people’s lives. That is why I am determined that the Government shall address all the outstanding recommendations.

[James Asser]

One of the reasons why we are in this position, having made so much progress, is that under the last Labour Government, we made a lot of legal changes, but we also worked to make societal changes, along with progressive colleagues from other parties. There is a lot of hope from the community that, with a new Government, we can pick up that baton and make progress again, so I am pleased to hear what the Minister says. Does he agree that resolving these issues quickly would send the message to the LGBT community that we are taking this seriously, and are keen to get on with making progress on equality again?

[Al Carns]

I absolutely agree. The quicker that we get this done and get due justice delivered, the better. That is absolutely where we want to go.

When I joined the Royal Marines in 1999, the shameful ban on homosexuality in the armed forces was still in place. Last month, the Defence Secretary and I presented Etherton ribbons to Emma Riley, Stephen Close and Carl Austin-Behan. The ribbon represents the commitment and sacrifices made in service by LGBT veterans, the suffering caused by the cruel ban, and the strength shown by those who stood against it. It is one of numerous steps that the Government are taking to ensure that the armed forces are tolerant and welcoming to all.

Our LGBT+ networks are helping us to improve the experiences of service personnel and civilian staff. I urge everyone affected by past failings to register interest in restorative measures by visiting the LGBT veterans support page on gov.uk. The Defence Secretary and I will drive hard to get this work done, until every recommendation of Lord Etherton’s review is implemented —to right the wrongs of the past and to ensure that every veteran who has helped keep Britain secure receives the respect and support they deserve.

Question put and agreed to.