Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether his Department plans to introduce a (a) formal and (b) accessible complaints system for veterans when public bodies fail to meet their obligations under the Armed Forces Covenant.

The Ministry of Defence (MOD) remains committed to supporting the Armed Forces Community under the Armed Forces Covenant. Work is currently underway to put the Covenant fully into law, meaning that the Legal Duty will apply across a broad range of policy areas and to Central Government, Devolved Governments and at a local level.

The MOD is considering its plans for implementation of the extended Duty, and this could include how the bodies subject to it are informed about their responsibilities and encouraged to comply.

Enquiries or complaints about Covenant signatories can be directed to the MOD via afcovenant@rfca.mod.uk, and organisations failing to meet their pledge may have their Covenant status reviewed. The MOD will continue to work with stakeholders to ensure these processes remain accessible and effective in holding public bodies accountable.