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Women in the Armed Forces
09 December 2021
Lead MP
Sarah Atherton
Debate Type
Ministerial Statement
Tags
Crime & Law EnforcementDefenceWomen & EqualitiesParliamentary ProcedureChildren & Families
Other Contributors: 9
At a Glance
Sarah Atherton raised concerns about women in the armed forces in the House of Commons. A government minister responded. Other MPs also contributed.
How the Debate Unfolded
MPs spoke in turn to share their views and ask questions. Here's what each person said:
Government Statement
Crime & Law EnforcementDefenceWomen & EqualitiesParliamentary ProcedureChildren & Families
Government Statement
Thanking Madam Deputy Speaker, Sarah Atherton announced a Defence Committee report on women's experiences in the armed forces and as veterans. She acknowledged key individuals who contributed to the report over 18 months. The report revealed that nearly 90% of servicewomen would recommend a military career but also found high rates (62%) of abuse, including bullying, harassment, discrimination, sexual assault, and rape. Atherton highlighted key recommendations: removing chain of command involvement in complaints about sexual misconduct; increasing complaint process independence; creating a central defence authority for complaints handling; binding service ombudsman decisions; and transferring serious criminal cases to civilian courts. The report also addressed issues like inadequate kit and uniform provision and lack of childcare, recommending wraparound childcare rollout by the end of 2022. MOD has agreed to many recommendations but not all, notably refusing to remove rape from military jurisdiction.
Martin Docherty
Lab
West Dunbartonshire
Question
Docherty praised Atherton's work on women in the armed forces. He highlighted the need for cultural change within the officer corps and argued for equity of representation, especially among younger and BAME women.
Minister reply
Atherton thanked Docherty for his support and noted that the MOD has introduced initiatives around leadership, including performance assessments to sanction underperforming officers more easily.
Tobias Ellwood
Con
Bournemouth East
Question
Paid tribute to the hon. Member for Wrexham for her report on harassment and sexual violence against women in the UK armed forces, noting the significant response from the MOD and recommending moving serious offences out of military courts into civilian ones.
Minister reply
Expressed gratitude to Tobias Ellwood for his support.
Margaret Ferrier
Ind
Renfrewshire North
Question
Asked whether the Government’s statement about harassment is reflective of reality, and if the RAF can serve as a model for addressing concerns across all forces.
Minister reply
Disagreed with the MOD's statement on abuse levels based on survey evidence; suggested that the RAF could be modeled for improvement in other services.
Robert Buckland
Con
South Swindon
Question
Noted the importance of enhancing independence and reliability of investigative processes, expressing concern about potential downgrading of the Service Prosecuting Authority's capacity.
Minister reply
Acknowledged that many women find the investigation process traumatic; stated that the MOD is making movements to improve accessibility of victim support units.
Philip Hollobone
Con
Kettering
Question
Inquired about the adequacy of the Government's response to issues faced by service personnel, especially women, in balancing service life and family responsibilities.
Minister reply
Highlighted that while flexible working strategies exist, their accessibility is limited; mentioned the Minister's upcoming family strategy.
Carol Monaghan
SNP
Glasgow North West
Question
Expressed concern over a tenfold increase in cases of rape and sexual assault on under-18s, questioning if servicewomen are safe from sexual violence at work and asked about future review of the issue.
Minister reply
Acknowledged steps taken by MOD to support young women but expressed disappointment that serious crimes remain within military courts; stated intent to continue reviewing progress.
Barnsley South
Question
Praised the report and acknowledged positive changes while highlighting issues of harassment, discrimination, assault, and bullying. Criticised the Government for not moving serious crimes to civilian courts based on feedback from Salute Her.
Minister reply
Agreed that the issue should be relooked at.
Leo Docherty
Con
Burnley
Question
Emphasised the report's importance and assurance of driving institutional change to enable women to thrive in the military.
Minister reply
Expressed thanks for support and commitment to continuing work.
Shadow Comment
Martin Docherty
Shadow Comment
Docherty congratulated Atherton on chairing a significant inquiry into women's experiences in the armed forces. He emphasised the need for cultural change within the officer corps and advocated for equity of representation, particularly among younger and BAME women.
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