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Ministry of Defence

Answer

Mr. Oaten: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what measures are in place to ensure that the armed forces provide counselling and support for personnel involved in marital breakdown. [55865] Mr. Doug Henderson: [holding answer 22 October 1998]: The Armed Forces attach great importance to the welfare of their people. All three Services provide specialist welfare staff, in the UK and overseas, who offer Service personnel counselling and support on a wide range of social issues, including marital breakdown. The Royal Navy and the Army have recently set up confidential support telephone helplines for Service personnel and their dependants for all welfare related issues, whilst the Royal Air Force has a similar facility for personnel which deals with cases of racial or sexual harassment. As part of the overall welfare provision, the Armed Forces also provide personnel and their families with advice on coping with separation while personnel are away from home on duty, and managing homecomings. The full range of healthcare and social services provided by central and local government in the U.K., are available to the Service community; the Services seek to replicate these facilities overseas wherever practicable. Within the U.K., Service families will be subject to the requirements of the Family Law Act 1996 when it comes into effect next year. Responsibility for implementation of this rests with the Lord Chancellor's Department. Overseas, where MOD voluntarily aims to replicate U.K. practice where possible, the Armed Forces are actively examining how the Act can be implemented in light of circumstances and conditions of service.

Secondary information

Type

Written question

Reference

318 c113-4W; 55865

Session

1997-98

Subjects

Armed forces Marriage Marriage guidance