Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what estimate he has made of the number of veterans eligible for the LGBT Financial Recognition Scheme.

Answered by Al Carns - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for Veterans)

We are unable to estimate how many people were affected by the historic policy on LGBT Service personnel and who are therefore eligible for the Financial Recognition Scheme (FRS). This is due to the varying ways in which personnel were impacted, with some being dismissed or discharged, and others choosing to leave due to the culture whilst others continued to serve.

Defence’s LGBT Restorative Action team have mounted communications campaigns to drive awareness of, and encourage, eligible LGBT Veterans to claim under the FRS since the Scheme was announced. We continue to work with local councils, the NHS, LGBT and military charities, and Veterans network to better inform affected Veterans of the FRS and how to apply. Defence has also allocated £90,000 worth of grants to charities, including Fighting With Pride, to support Veterans with their FRS applications.

As of 9 June 2025, the FRS had distributed £2.2 million in payments, prioritising elderly applicants and those with serious health conditions to ensure timely support for those most in need. The first payments were issued within 15 weeks of the scheme going live, and while some complex cases require additional time, the Ministry of Defence is committed to ensuring all eligible individuals receive the support they are entitled to.

The Government encourages those affected by the Ban to visit gov.uk for further information, guidance, and support on how to make an application: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/veterans-of-the-lgbt-ban-financial-recognition-scheme

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what discussions he has had with his Israeli counterpart on the impact of the conflict in Gaza on older people living in Gaza.

Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

Marginalised groups such as the elderly are disproportionately impacted by long standing conflicts and recent escalations of violence in the Middle East including the war in Gaza. We continue to call for a lift on the aid blockade in Gaza, and for all parties to re-engage in ceasefire negotiations to get the hostages out and to secure a permanent end to the conflict, leading to a two-state solution and a lasting peace.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what principles his Department is applying when determining its priorities in the review of Official Development Assistance.

Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

We are modernising our approach to development, focusing on greater impact and delivering the development our partners want - ensuring every pound delivers for the UK taxpayer and the people we support.

We will sharpen our focus on three priorities: humanitarian, health, and climate and nature, underpinned by economic development.

We will prioritise multilaterals in the Official Development Assistance budget, while driving reform of the multilateral system to strengthen its most important parts - humanitarian, health, climate, and the global financial system - to help lower-income countries sustain their progress and become self-sufficient.

We will transform our country development partnerships, reflecting the changing needs of our partners: as an investor rather than just a donor and from service delivery to system support, while drawing on the UK's leading expertise and working through local partners.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that the specific needs of older people are met through the UK’s humanitarian responses.

Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

Ensuring the inclusion and active participation of marginalised people, and the organisations which represent them, is a core component of the UK's approach to humanitarian and development policy and programming, and we continue to champion inclusion of marginalised people in conflict and crisis settings. This includes people who may face challenges due to their age, gender, disability or other protected characteristics.

The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office 'Humanitarian Response Funding Guidelines for NGOs' set out specific requirements to ensure needs of affected populations are met, including older people. We have also attached robust indicators to our UN core funding on Sex, Age and Disability (SAD) data disaggregation to inform an inclusive approach.

Funding for British Transport Police

Durham Miners' Gala 2025

High street gambling reform

Found: present: Mr Toby Perkins (Chair); Olivia Blake; Julia Buckley; Barry Gardiner; Chris Hinchliff; Martin Rhodes

Found: present: Mr Toby Perkins (Chair); Olivia Blake; Julia Buckley; Barry Gardiner; Chris Hinchliff; Martin Rhodes

Found: Olivia Blake; Julia Buckley; Ellie Chowns; Barry Gardiner; Alison Griffiths; Pippa Heylings; Martin Rhodes

Found: Olivia Blake; Julia Buckley; Ellie Chowns; Barry Gardiner; Alison Griffiths; Pippa Heylings; Martin Rhodes

Found: Gale Siân Berry John Whitby Mr Richard Quigley Jeremy Corbyn Kate Osborne Anna Gelderd Martin Rhodes