Asked by: Noah Law (Labour - St Austell and Newquay)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what progress his Department has made on issuing payments under the LGBT Veterans Financial Recognition Scheme.
Answered by Al Carns - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for Veterans)
The LGBT Financial Recognition Scheme launched on 13 December 2024. As of 31 March 2025, 917 applications had been received. Fighting With Pride, the Royal British Legion and Veterans UK are providing ongoing support to veterans with their applications.
The process of gathering evidence and records for the creation of casefiles is underway for these applications. This is the largest part of the process as this requires the collation of information from a variety of sources, including historical records.
Terminally ill veterans are being prioritised and we expect payments to begin for these veterans by the end of April 2025.
Asked by: Noah Law (Labour - St Austell and Newquay)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that veterans who participated in lawful military operations during the Northern Ireland Troubles are treated fairly in relation to investigations or judicial proceedings; and if he will increase (a) legal protections and (b) welfare support for those veterans.
Answered by Al Carns - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for Veterans)
The Government recognises the important service of Armed Forces personnel and the sacrifices they made to keep us all safe in Northern Ireland during the Troubles. We are exploring measures to ensure that the legacy of the past is addressed sensitively, efficiently, and lawfully, including with veterans’ groups. When a veteran faces judicial proceedings in relation to their duties, we offer, at public expense, legal support and representation as appropriate. Veterans are also offered welfare support tailored to their individual needs and circumstances.