Written question asked by James Gray (Conservative) on Tuesday, 17 May 2022, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Thursday, 19 May 2022. It was answered by Leo Docherty (Conservative) on Monday, 23 May 2022 on behalf of the Ministry of Defence.

Armed Forces: Homosexuality

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, when the chair of the independent review into the impact of the pre-2000 ban of homosexual personnel in the military will be appointed, and the remit of that group agreed.

Answer: Defence remains proud of all our LGBT+ military and civilian personnel and the significant contributions they make to ensure our security, support our national interests, and safeguard our prosperity. The Ministry of Defence (MOD) and the Office for Veterans’ Affairs are jointly commissioning an independent review to better understand the impacts and implications of the pre-2000 ban on homosexuals serving in HM Armed Forces. The review underlines the MOD’s unwavering commitment to understanding how best to support its veteran and LGBT+ community. Work is currently underway to appoint an independent review chair and the independent review is expected to commence in the near future, following their appointment. The independent review chair and the terms of reference for the review will be announced in due course.

Secondary information