Asked by: Grahame Morris (Labour - Easington)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many Personal Independence Payment claimants are veterans with service-related health conditions in the latest period for which data is available.
Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
The Department does not centrally hold data on Personal Independence Payment (PIP) claimants’ previous occupation, so we are not able to determine which claimants are veterans.
Asked by: Lord Truscott (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether they plan to introduce digital identity documents.
Answered by Baroness Jones of Whitchurch - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
Digital identities already exist. The digital verification services provisions in the Data (Use and Access) Act look to enable people and organisations to use secure digital identities with greater confidence, they don’t create new digital identity documents.
The government plans to introduce digital versions of existing government-issued documents through the GOV.UK Wallet, a secure digital service for storing government-issued credentials on users’ smartphones. People will be able to use these documents to help prove things about themselves, such as eligibility to access services within government and more widely. The rollout begins this summer with the Veterans Card, followed by driving licences later in the year. All central government credentials are expected to be available by 2027. The GOV.UK Wallet is not, however, creating new identity documents.
Asked by: Andrew Snowden (Conservative - Fylde)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of adding Lancashire to the pilot of the VALOUR veteran support centres.
Answered by Al Carns - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for Veterans)
On 26 June 2025 I launched the VALOUR pilot in partnership with Greater Manchester, Liverpool City Region, West Yorkshire, and South Yorkshire.
There are a number of excellent support services available for veterans across this region, and across the UK. Through the enhanced coordination facilitated by VALOUR, the programme will promote a holistic approach to care by helping veterans access the full range of support services available to them.
The pilot will serve as an opportunity to develop a comprehensive blueprint for the VALOUR network. While it is recognised that regional variations will be necessary to ensure the network meets the specific needs of local communities, the lessons learned from the pilot will form the basis for VALOUR across the country.
We continue to move at pace, and VALOUR will be rolled out across the UK in 2026, so I am grateful for Lancashire's engagement and looking forward to working in the area soon.
Asked by: Mark Francois (Conservative - Rayleigh and Wickford)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, when he plans to appoint a new Chair of the Northern Ireland Veterans Advisory and Pensions Committee; and what steps his Department is taking to ensure that veterans in Northern Ireland receive parity of support with veterans in other parts of the United Kingdom.
Answered by Al Carns - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for Veterans)
Ministry of Defence officials are currently working through the latest advice that the Veterans Advisory and Pension Committees have provided, for which I am most grateful. We are currently considering their functions and activity against wider Departmental priorities around veterans, which include the new VALOUR initiative, and recruitment remains paused for the present.
Regarding support for veterans residing in Northern Ireland, we continue to build on the effective collaborative between the Office for Veterans’ Affairs, Veterans Welfare Service Northern Ireland and the Northern Ireland Veterans’ Commissioner’s Office, including enhancing partnerships with the wider veteran support system, such as the Thrive Together programme led by Brooke House.
Asked by: Mark Francois (Conservative - Rayleigh and Wickford)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what assessment his Department has made of the ability of Veterans Advisory and Pensions Committees to fulfil their statutory functions under the Veterans Advisory and Pensions Committees Act 2023 prior to the commencement of the relevant provisions of that Act.
Answered by Al Carns - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for Veterans)
Ministry of Defence officials are currently working through the latest advice that the Veterans Advisory and Pension Committees have provided, for which I am most grateful. We are currently considering their functions and activity against wider Departmental priorities around veterans, which include the new VALOUR initiative, and recruitment remains paused for the present.
Regarding support for veterans residing in Northern Ireland, we continue to build on the effective collaborative between the Office for Veterans’ Affairs, Veterans Welfare Service Northern Ireland and the Northern Ireland Veterans’ Commissioner’s Office, including enhancing partnerships with the wider veteran support system, such as the Thrive Together programme led by Brooke House.
Asked by: Mark Francois (Conservative - Rayleigh and Wickford)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, for what reasons the recruitment of new members to the Veterans Advisory and Pensions Committees has been paused; and what plans he has to restart that process.
Answered by Al Carns - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for Veterans)
Ministry of Defence officials are currently working through the latest advice that the Veterans Advisory and Pension Committees have provided, for which I am most grateful. We are currently considering their functions and activity against wider Departmental priorities around veterans, which include the new VALOUR initiative, and recruitment remains paused for the present.
Regarding support for veterans residing in Northern Ireland, we continue to build on the effective collaborative between the Office for Veterans’ Affairs, Veterans Welfare Service Northern Ireland and the Northern Ireland Veterans’ Commissioner’s Office, including enhancing partnerships with the wider veteran support system, such as the Thrive Together programme led by Brooke House.
Asked by: Mark Francois (Conservative - Rayleigh and Wickford)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what progress his Department has made on bringing forward regulations to implement the Veterans Advisory and Pensions Committees Act 2023.
Answered by Al Carns - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for Veterans)
Ministry of Defence officials are currently working through the latest advice that the Veterans Advisory and Pension Committees have provided, for which I am most grateful. We are currently considering their functions and activity against wider Departmental priorities around veterans, which include the new VALOUR initiative, and recruitment remains paused for the present.
Regarding support for veterans residing in Northern Ireland, we continue to build on the effective collaborative between the Office for Veterans’ Affairs, Veterans Welfare Service Northern Ireland and the Northern Ireland Veterans’ Commissioner’s Office, including enhancing partnerships with the wider veteran support system, such as the Thrive Together programme led by Brooke House.
Asked by: Sarah Bool (Conservative - South Northamptonshire)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 13 June 2025 to Question 57936 on Strategic Defence Review, what proportion of the 1,700 people who responded to the call for evidence were (a) serving personnel and (b) veterans.
Answered by Luke Pollard - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence)
I am unable to provide an exact proportion. However, during the call for evidence phase of the Strategic Defence Review serving personnel and veterans were encouraged to submit a response, of which approximately 800 responses came from within the Ministry of Defence, Armed Forces, and veteran community.
Asked by: James Naish (Labour - Rushcliffe)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of the £75 million budget allocated for financial reparations to LGBT veterans affected by the historic ban on homosexuality in the armed forces.
Answered by Al Carns - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for Veterans)
The LGBT Financial Recognition Scheme (FRS) continues to make progress with applications, with processing capacity expected to increase in the coming months. As of 23 June 2025, the FRS had made payments of £3.4 million to 69 applicants with life-limiting conditions or serious health concerns, with the first payments issued as planned within 15 weeks of the Scheme going live. We are now processing applications based on date received.
The Independent Panel, responsible for reviewing and making fair and equitable determinations on applications, convened for its first sitting within days of their appointment on 13 May 2025, demonstrating a commitment to delivering the Scheme at pace. Further sittings have taken place since then, with several more sittings planned over the coming months.
We are reviewing payment systems to ensure that once applications are approved, payments are issued promptly and efficiently. While processing times may vary depending on the complexity of individual cases, we aim to provide regular updates on progress and remain committed to delivering this important recognition fairly, responsibly, and as swiftly as possible.
The eligibility criteria for the FRS can be found within the Scheme Rules, published on Gov.UK. The Scheme is open to individuals who served in the UK Armed Forces and were dismissed or discharged due to their sexual orientation, or who experienced other forms of harm or disadvantage as a result of the historic Ban. Applicants must provide supporting evidence for assessment against the Rules.
We recognise the importance of timeliness in delivering the FRS. While we are unable to provide a definitive timeline at this stage, we are committed to processing applications as quickly and efficiently as possible. Evidence gathering remains the most complex and time-consuming part of the process, requiring information to be retrieved from a variety of sources, including historical records. This work must be conducted thoroughly to ensure fair and accurate outcomes for applicants and the responsible management of public funds.
The design was informed by Fighting with Pride to ensure that the ‘most hurt’ were recognised appropriately and that timely payments were able to be made where evidence is most readily available. We continue to routinely engage with Fighting With Pride to ensure the voices of LGBT veterans are heard throughout the implementation of the Scheme and we take on their constructive feedback.
This Government listened to the concerns of veterans and increased the overall budget by 50% to up to £75 million. The Scheme’s two-payment design ensures that a broad range of experiences can be recognised and that payments are proportionate to the impact of the Ban. The Ministry of Defence has assessed the £75 million budget as sufficient to meet the anticipated demand based on current estimates of eligible applicants.
Asked by: James Naish (Labour - Rushcliffe)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will outline a planned timeline for issuing financial reparations to all eligible LGBT veterans affected by the historic ban on homosexuality in the armed forces.
Answered by Al Carns - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for Veterans)
The LGBT Financial Recognition Scheme (FRS) continues to make progress with applications, with processing capacity expected to increase in the coming months. As of 23 June 2025, the FRS had made payments of £3.4 million to 69 applicants with life-limiting conditions or serious health concerns, with the first payments issued as planned within 15 weeks of the Scheme going live. We are now processing applications based on date received.
The Independent Panel, responsible for reviewing and making fair and equitable determinations on applications, convened for its first sitting within days of their appointment on 13 May 2025, demonstrating a commitment to delivering the Scheme at pace. Further sittings have taken place since then, with several more sittings planned over the coming months.
We are reviewing payment systems to ensure that once applications are approved, payments are issued promptly and efficiently. While processing times may vary depending on the complexity of individual cases, we aim to provide regular updates on progress and remain committed to delivering this important recognition fairly, responsibly, and as swiftly as possible.
The eligibility criteria for the FRS can be found within the Scheme Rules, published on Gov.UK. The Scheme is open to individuals who served in the UK Armed Forces and were dismissed or discharged due to their sexual orientation, or who experienced other forms of harm or disadvantage as a result of the historic Ban. Applicants must provide supporting evidence for assessment against the Rules.
We recognise the importance of timeliness in delivering the FRS. While we are unable to provide a definitive timeline at this stage, we are committed to processing applications as quickly and efficiently as possible. Evidence gathering remains the most complex and time-consuming part of the process, requiring information to be retrieved from a variety of sources, including historical records. This work must be conducted thoroughly to ensure fair and accurate outcomes for applicants and the responsible management of public funds.
The design was informed by Fighting with Pride to ensure that the ‘most hurt’ were recognised appropriately and that timely payments were able to be made where evidence is most readily available. We continue to routinely engage with Fighting With Pride to ensure the voices of LGBT veterans are heard throughout the implementation of the Scheme and we take on their constructive feedback.
This Government listened to the concerns of veterans and increased the overall budget by 50% to up to £75 million. The Scheme’s two-payment design ensures that a broad range of experiences can be recognised and that payments are proportionate to the impact of the Ban. The Ministry of Defence has assessed the £75 million budget as sufficient to meet the anticipated demand based on current estimates of eligible applicants.