Written question asked by Ben Chapman (Labour) on Thursday, 13 March 2008, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Tuesday, 18 March 2008. It was answered by Derek Twigg (Labour) on Tuesday, 18 March 2008 on behalf of the Ministry of Defence.

Armed Forces: Conditions of Employment

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what representations he has received from the Royal British Legion on the operation of the military covenant; what response he has made; and if he will make a statement.

Answer: The Ministry of Defence has held regular discussions with the Royal British Legion (RBL) since the launch of its "Honour the Covenant" campaign in September 2007, covering a wide range of issues affecting the nation's responsibilities to its armed forces. Since 1997, the RBL accepts the Government have made a number of improvements but would like to see more done. The Government have taken a number of important steps to ensure that the nation meets its responsibilities towards its armed forces, veterans and their families, including improvements to compensation, healthcare, accommodation, and welfare support. The forthcoming Cross-Government Command Paper will review the current position and set out such further improvements as may be appropriate. The RBL is a member of the External Reference Group for the Command Paper.

Secondary information