Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what steps he is taking to increase the accountability of businesses that have signed the Armed Forces Covenant.

I have been fortunate enough to meet with many businesses and organisations that are both signed up and who are also interested in signing up to the Armed Forces Covenant. This Government is committed to fully extending the legal duty, which will increase education and awareness of the unique nature of Service.

Defence Relationship Management provides direct engagement with employers across the UK through its account management team. This engagement supports employers in understanding the Armed Forces Covenant, developing bespoke and meaningful pledges, and progressing on to the Defence Employer Recognition Scheme where appropriate.

The Ministry of Defence has policy in place to hold organisations to account known as the ‘the Covenant Test’, where ultimately, if a company fails the test, their right to utilise the Armed Forces Covenant title and branding can be removed.