As part of a series of changes to eradicate unacceptable
behaviours in the military, and step-up support for women across
UK Defence, a new Tri-Service complaints unit for the Armed
Forces has been announced.
The new team will be independent of the single Service chain of
command to provide individuals with greater confidence and help
ensure that the most serious complaints are dealt with quickly,
fairly and in a standardised way across the Armed Forces.
Building on the change in 2022 when complaints were taken out of
the direct chain of command, providing greater independence and
confidence.
The change will see Bullying, Harassment, Discrimination related
service complaints dealt with by a team outside the commands of
the Royal Navy, British Army and Royal Air Force.
This builds on the successes of the tri-service approach to
sexual offending, within the Defence Serious Crime Command which
was set up in 2022.
In addition, the Ministry of Defence will set up a Violence
Against Women and Girls (VAWG) Taskforce, led centrally by
Minister Carns to cohere and drive the work to change culture
from the heart of the department. Minister Carns will be
supported by a network of regional champions who will help raise
awareness of and tackle violence against women and girls across
the military, and a Defence Voices Panel - a challenge group made
up of service personnel and civil servants to provide honest
feedback and lived experiences.
The Minister for Defence People and Veterans will set out these new measures before the House of
Commons Defence Select Committee later today. He will give
evidence alongside Service chiefs.
Minister for Veterans and People said:
This government was elected on a manifesto of change, and we are
delivering for Defence. I am personally committed to ensuring
that we do everything within our power to root out unacceptable
behaviour and ensure that the Armed Forces is a place where
everyone can thrive.
Women in the armed forces play a vital role in our keeping our
nation safe. This is not just a matter of basic justice and
equality, it is essential to military
effectiveness.
Our people have spoken, and we have listened. We are moving at
pace to create a new Tri-Service Complaints team to take the most
serious complaints out of the chain of single Service command for
the first time and to launch a central taskforce to give this
issue the attention and focus it deserves.
The MOD's VAWG Taskforce will include regional support network,
trained on topics including domestic violence and sexual
offending. These roles will use a network of multidisciplinary
experts to support Armed Forces personnel, including healthcare
providers, social workers, and HR advisors and will link into the
Victim Witness Care Unit. These measures are part of the
government's commitment to improving Service life and renewing
the contract with those who serve and have served and support
this government's foundation of strong national
security.
The government introduced the Armed Forces Commissioner Bill in
November – the first ever independent champion for serving
personnel and their families. The Bill has passed through the
House of Commons and is now in Committee Stage in the Lords. The
Commissioner will be a direct point of contact for serving
personnel and their families to raise issues which impact Service
life. They are expected to be appointed by the end of 2025.
With powers to visit Defence sites unannounced and commission
reports, the Commissioner will hold Defence to account and drive
improvements to Service life.
The government is committed to standing up for those who serve
the nation. At the end of July, the Armed Forces received the
largest pay rise in over 20 years, and in December the MOD struck
a landmark deal to bring the military housing estate back into
public ownership to enable additional investment into homes for
military families and deliver savings for taxpayers.
