Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether he has amde an assessment of the potential merits of taking additional steps to support service personnel to come forward with behavioural complaints, in the context of the verdict delivered by the assistant Coroner for Wilshire and Swindon on 20 February 2025 into the death of Gunner Jaylsley Beck.

Our thoughts remain with Gunner Jaysley-Louise Beck’s loved ones at this difficult time. Jaysley was a young and promising soldier who should have had the opportunity to thrive in a supportive and safe environment. Her death in December 2021 was and still is a tragedy, and we are deeply sorry for the failure to protect her.

There is no place for any abuse within the military. I am deeply troubled that women in the Armed Forces continue to be subject to unacceptable behaviours during their service in the Armed Forces.

Our Armed Forces personnel play a vital role in protecting the nation, and we are committed to making changes that create a more inclusive environment and enable cultural reform. The Service Chiefs fully endorse and support this work. A range of substantive measures – many already introduced – will help to build a safer, more inclusive environment for them and ensure that their concerns are listened to and swift appropriate action is taken. These measures include robust policies with powerful sanctions which tackle bullying, harassment and discrimination, including zero-tolerance policies on unacceptable sexual behaviour, sexual offences and sexual relationships between instructors and trainees, sexual exploitation, and abuse. This Government is also establishing an Armed Forces Commissioner as a new independent champion with the power to investigate issues raised by Service personnel and their families.

To protect our people, we established the Defence Serious Crime Unit (DSCU) in 2022 and the Victim and Witness Care Unit (VWCU) in 2023. Anyone who has been a victim of serious crime in the Defence community can contact the DSCU who operate a Public Protection Unit with officers trained to handle serious sexual offences, ensuring victims are safeguarded, supported, and referred to support organisations. The VWCU provides an independent, single point of contact for victims and witnesses of serious crimes committed by Service personnel in the UK and overseas; it puts victims and witnesses at the heart of the investigative process, providing a specialist end-to-end service, from initial contact through to court and beyond.

We encourage anyone who feels they are the victim of a crime to come forward and report it, calling the Service Police on 02392 285 180 (24/7) or through their confidential crime line on 0800 085 0658. Crimestoppers can also be contacted to anonymously report a crime or suspicious behaviour by phone 0800 555 111 or online: https://crimestoppers-uk.org/

Additionally, anyone wanting to discuss victim support can contact the VWCU, which operates independently from the single Service Chain of Command, on 07974 074259 or via email people-dscc-vwcugroup@mod.gov.uk. Any information provided to the VWCU will be treated in confidence and individuals can discuss their options for reporting any allegations.