Commons Sense

House of Commons · Ministers' Questions

Armed Forces Families

Monday 2 February 2026 · 2 questions

Summarised by AI from the official record, so it can contain mistakes.

Read the full transcript on Parliament.uk

At a glance

Answered 0 Partly answered 2 Not answered 0

Key points

  • Armed forces families will receive support through discussions on military clothing procurement.
  • The Minister for Defence Readiness and Industry will speak to Sarah Smith about clothing sourcing.
  • Alicia Kearns raised the issue of women wrongly dismissed from the armed forces for pregnancy.
  • The Minister is working on timelines to update Alicia Kearns on the issue.

Topics (select to filter)

Questions & Answers

Q1 Sarah Smith Lab Hyndburn
Defence Veterans
Context

The question follows concerns about the support provided to armed forces families and highlights a specific issue regarding military clothing supply.

Question

What steps is he taking to support armed forces families? Another important factor in supporting our troops is ensuring they have adequate military clothing. The previous Conservative Government tied us into contracts where 90% of Army clothing comes from overseas, with much sourced from China. In Hyndburn, many businesses are ready to meet the needs of British troops. Will he review this and consider if British companies can supply these needs?

Answer from The Minister for Veterans and People (Louise Sandher-Jones)

Armed forces families will be concerned about the kits their loved ones wear. It is hoped that most of our clothing comes from British companies, but the Minister for Defence Readiness and Industry will speak to my hon. Friend in more depth on this issue.

Partly answered

Not addressed: The specific review or commitment regarding sourcing military clothing from British suppliers was not provided.

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Q2 Alicia Kearns Con Rutland and Stamford
Veterans
Context

This question addresses a case of women who were unfairly dismissed from the armed forces due to pregnancy, and seeks an update on their compensation.

Question

It has been over a year since I raised the issue of 5,700 women wrongly dismissed from the armed forces for falling pregnant while in service. What actions have you taken to ensure these women receive their caps and berets back? They deserve this support as they wish to start families.

Answer from The Minister for Veterans and People (Louise Sandher-Jones)

The hon. Lady raises a valid point. I have received updates from officials, and I will push for further timelines to update her.

Partly answered

Not addressed: A concrete timeline or specific actions were not provided.

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