Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many equality impact assessments have been carried out in the last three years on public service reforms which impact on (a) departmental staff and (b) members of the public; and if he will make a statement.

Over the last three years the Ministry of Defence (MOD) has had, and continues to have due regard, as necessary, to the public sector equality duty in exercising its functions. The Equality Act does not require this due regard to take the form of an equality impact assessment, nor does it define an equality impact assessment, and the MOD does not maintain a record of such assessments."

The MOD aims to ensure that all public service reforms impacting on its staff or members of the public undergo an Equality Analysis, in line with the Public Sector Equality Duty placed on the Department by Equalities legislation. We have recently reviewed and updated our Equality Analysis guidance to ensure that those working on policy, projects, or services have a clear and efficient process to follow and all the necessary tools at hand to undertake an Equality Analysis.