The Armed Forces payment system is not designed for, and only has limited capacity, to accommodate individual financial circumstances. Delays to payments can be made in exceptional circumstances. However, in cases where Ministry of Defence considerations are complete, payment will be made as appropriate.

I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by my right hon. Friend, the Minister for Defence Personnel and Veterans on 30 November 2017 to Question 115863.

http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2017-11-27/115863/

I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by my right hon. Friend, the Minister for Defence Personnel and Veterans on 30 November 2017 to Question 115863.

http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2017-11-27/115863/

The Army has postponed the publication of the non-statutory inquiry to address a concern raised by one family.

The Ministry of Defence (MOD) takes great care to respect the wishes of bereaved families. All reports issued by the MOD are redacted in accordance with the principles of data protection legislation, including the removal of names of bereaved family members. While the MOD does not require formal permission from bereaved family members to publish a Service Inquiry (SI), we recognise the sensitive nature of the material and will always endeavour to ensure that next-of-kin are made aware of pending publication. Bereaved families receive a redacted copy of the SI report before publication and are offered a briefing on its content.

The Army's Bereavement and Aftercare Support (BAS) team are a part of the overall welfare process, with specific focus for the notification and aftercare support for casualties and bereaved families. The BAS team act in support of the Visiting Officer (VO) in the early stages of bereavement and once the time is right for the VO to be stood down, they provide the enduring support for the families.

The VO course is delivered by the Head of the Army BAS team and his training staff, and is mandatory for all VO and new members of the BAS team. The eight BAS staff attended the course between 2007 and 2017, according to when they joined the team.

The Defence Medical Information Capability Programme (DMICP) provides electronic primary healthcare records for all serving personnel, their dependants in some overseas locations and civilian staff deployed in support of operations. The Ministry of Defence works closely with the DMICP software provider to deliver enhancements that reduce the risk to patient safety, irrespective of who the patient is, and reflect legislative changes.

Since 2014 a number of minor changes have been made to the DMICP, such as adding new medical practices to the system. More significant changes have also been made, including, but not limited to:

• Enabling the monitoring and reporting of performance against the General Medical Services contract Quality and Outcomes Framework. This supports the management of some of the most common chronic diseases.

• A new joint system for recording an individual's medical deployability status.

• The deployed version of DMICP has benefited from new hardware and enhancements to the software.

• An interface between DMICP and the new NHS messaging service, providing electronic delivery of pathology reports from NHS and other laboratories.

• A new DMICP training system, allowing more users to be trained and a wider range of training courses to be provided.

Service personnel who act as Casualty Notification Officers or Visiting Officers are provided with appropriate training and welfare support as necessary, in keeping with these emotionally demanding roles. Bereavement and aftercare support staff are often civilians who do not tend to deal directly with families in the early stages of loss. Line managers are, however, alert to the effect which this type of work might have on staff and provide signposting to support services as necessary.

The Defence People Mental Health and Wellbeing Strategy (DPMHWS) 2017-2022 was launched on 20 July 2017 and covers all Defence people. The Strategy identifies the need for strong Partnerships with the Department of Health, the NHS in England and the Devolved Administrations and the charitable sector and a new operating model focusing on Promote, Prevent, Treat and Detect. The Strategy is well resourced through connected agencies and services which the forthcoming Mental Health and Wellbeing Strategy Action Plan will take on and develop, including plans to introduce standardised mental health and wellbeing education and training for all those working in Defence. The DPMHWS can be found at the following link:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/defence-people-mental-health-and-wellbeing-strategy

The information is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

The Suicide Vulnerability Risk Management (SVRM) system is part of a preventative strategy aimed at reducing incidences of suicide in the Army. The Royal Navy and the Royal Air Force have similar systems in place. In late 2013, the Army reviewed the SVRM and identified a requirement for an information system to be developed which captured all those on a care assessment plan, replacing the previous manual system. The Vulnerability Risk Management Information System was rolled out across the Army between November 2014 and September 2015.

The Casualty and Compassionate process is kept under constant review by both the Ministry of Defence (MOD) and the single Services. The Defence Internal Auditors (DIA) conducted an end-to-end review of the process, publishing their report in October 2016. The MOD welcomed the report and was addressed the policy issues raised within it. In addition, in conjunction with the Joint Casualty and Compassionate Centre, a "Purple Pack" has been produced. This publication signposts and highlights various avenues of assistance available to families and friends in need. It is produced in electronic format, but hard copies can be printed should a family so wish. The Purple Pack can be accessed at the following address:

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/joint-casualty-and-compassionate-centre-jccc

The Army Drill Manual directions for Military Funerals were last amended in September 2007. Some new amendments will be issued soon to reflect recently identified lessons.

The Army's Bereavement and Aftercare Support team are a part of the overall welfare process, with specific focus for the notification and aftercare support for casualties and bereaved families.

Eight of the 10 members of the team have attended a Visiting Officers course. This provides an awareness of the many and varied reactions to the loss of a loved one, an understanding of the extent of the Army's duty of care, and where support for the families can be obtained.

Further development comes from the shared experience and best practice gained by working closely with Visiting Officers and Regional Brigade Casualty Officers.

The Defence Medical Services holds and manages personal and confidential information relating to patients. The relevant legal regulations are:

• Access to Medical Reports Act 1988.
• Human Rights Act 1998.
• Access to Health Records Act 1990.
• Computer Misuse Act 1990.
• Data Protection Act 1998 (DPA 98).
• Confidentiality: NHS Code of Practice.
• Common Law Duty of Confidentiality.
• Health and Social Care (Safety and Quality) Act 2015.
• The Caldicott Principles.
• General Medical Council - Confidentiality: Good Practice in Handling Patient Information (2017).

As at 1 April 2017, we had 38 M3 amphibious bridging vehicles. We do not routinely comment on specific levels of readiness and specific locations for individual capabilities as to do so would compromise operational security, or would, or would be likely to, prejudice the capability, effectiveness or security of the Armed Forces.

38 UK M3 amphibious bridging vehicles have been based in Germany in each of the last 10 years.

As at 1 April 2017, we had 38 M3 amphibious bridging vehicles. We do not routinely comment on specific levels of readiness and specific locations for individual capabilities as to do so would compromise operational security, or would, or would be likely to, prejudice the capability, effectiveness or security of the Armed Forces.

38 UK M3 amphibious bridging vehicles have been based in Germany in each of the last 10 years.

As at 1 April 2017, we had 38 M3 amphibious bridging vehicles. We do not routinely comment on specific levels of readiness and specific locations for individual capabilities as to do so would compromise operational security, or would, or would be likely to, prejudice the capability, effectiveness or security of the Armed Forces.

38 UK M3 amphibious bridging vehicles have been based in Germany in each of the last 10 years.

As at 1 April 2017, we had 38 M3 amphibious bridging vehicles. We do not routinely comment on specific levels of readiness and specific locations for individual capabilities as to do so would compromise operational security, or would, or would be likely to, prejudice the capability, effectiveness or security of the Armed Forces.

38 UK M3 amphibious bridging vehicles have been based in Germany in each of the last 10 years.

The F-35 has all necessary communications to enable interoperability with other UK and NATO capabilities. The UK has conducted recent trials, with exceptional results, into understanding, and then maximizing, communications between advanced and legacy capabilities.

Link 16 and the Battlefield Airborne Communications Node are both secure and encrypted systems. The Link 16 communications system is interoperable with other UK platforms and can communicate, securely and encrypted, with platforms such as Typhoon or the Queen Elizabeth Class carrier.

The F35B Lightning will be able to communicate appropriately with the Queen Elizabeth Class aircraft carriers.