Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what steps he is taking to ensure that UK-based staff working for the Commonwealth War Graves Commission overseas are not financially adversely affected as a result of the UK leaving the EU.

The Commonwealth War Graves Commission is actively supporting those personnel who are working on UK-based contracts within the European Union (EU), to ensure that new arrangements are in place before the transition period from exiting the EU ends in 2021. Discussions are ongoing and the Commission is committed to ensuring that its personnel have a choice of remaining in the EU on appropriate local terms or returning to work in the UK. There are 30 UK personnel employed by the Commission who are permanently based in Belgium and France, as part of a wider workforce of around 550.