Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many civil claims for compensation which included an allegation of sexual assault of any kind have been issued against his Department in a (a) civil court and (b) tribunal in the last five years; and how many such claims were settled without a final hearing.

This Ministry of Defence takes the treatment of women and allegations of sexual assault in the Armed Forces very seriously. In answer to both questions:

(a)150 common law compensation claims which included an allegation of sexual assault/ sexual abuse have been received in the last five years. Of these, 94 have settled out of court with damages paid. 15 have been closed with no damages awarded and 41 cases are continuing.

(b)The information is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.