Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Coaker on 29 July (HL2207), what are the full terms of reference of the review of all Army associations with private members’ clubs; whether it applies to other parts of the Armed Forces; and whether they intend to publish the letter by the Deputy Chief of the General Staff to the Corps and Regimental Colonels.

I refer the noble Lord to the Answer given by my hon. Friend the Minister for Veterans and People (Calvin Bailey) in the House of Commons on 7 September 2026 to Question 20863, copied below, which set out the Government’s position on this matter. As that answer explained, this was not a centrally coordinated Army review and there were no centrally held terms of reference, single Army-wide timetable, or centrally produced final outcome or report. Therefore, there are no plans to publish the letter from the then Deputy Chief of the General Staff to Corps and Regimental Colonels.

"The then Deputy Chief of the General Staff directed Corps and Regimental Associations to conduct their own reviews of their affiliations with private members’ clubs, including whether any associated clubs have rules, policies or practices that may not align with Army values of equality and respect.

This was not a centrally coordinated Army review. Rather, Corps and Regimental Associations were asked to consider their own arrangements, reflecting the fact that such affiliations are informal, privately funded and managed at Association level. Where concerns were identified, Associations were requested to consider engaging with the relevant club to advocate for change, or to disassociate where appropriate.

As the reviews were for individual Corps and Regimental Associations to undertake, there are no centrally held terms of reference, no single Army-wide timetable for completion, and no centrally produced final outcome or report to publish. Ministers were not asked to approve a central review, and there is no plan to make a statement to Parliament on this matter."