Recommendations & Conclusions
13 items
1
Conclusion
4th Report – The Armed Forces Covenant
Accepted
The timetable presented to us by the Secretary of State for producing a report meant there were fewer opportunities to take oral evidence on this subject than we would have preferred. (Conclusion, Paragraph 5)
Government response AI summary
The government agrees with the committee's observation regarding the limited timeframe for the report and commits to annual engagement between the Minister for Veterans and People and the Committee, as well as appointing a committee to consider the Armed Forces Bill 2026.
Read full response →
Ministry of Defence
2
Recommendation
4th Report – The Armed Forces Covenant
Accepted
Assuming precedent is followed, a Select Committee will be appointed to consider the Armed Forces Bill, with the opportunity to hear oral evidence before considering the Bill line by line. We recommend that the Government allow time for that Committee to hear from a broad range of organisations with an …
Read more
Assuming precedent is followed, a Select Committee will be appointed to consider the Armed Forces Bill, with the opportunity to hear oral evidence before considering the Bill line by line. We recommend that the Government allow time for that Committee to hear from a broad range of organisations with an interest in the Armed Forces Covenant, as well as on other issues that may be within the scope of the Bill. (Recommendation, Paragraph 6) The Covenant today
Show less
Government response AI summary
The MOD commits to the established practice of appointing a Committee for the Armed Forces Bill 2026, which will take evidence from interested stakeholders, allowing time for broad engagement.
Read full response →
Ministry of Defence
3
Conclusion
4th Report – The Armed Forces Covenant
Accepted
The evidence we received shows that where the Covenant is working well it is improving outcomes for service personnel, their families and veterans and is removing some of the disadvantages people face as a result of military service. However, this was not the experience of everyone who responded to our …
Read more
The evidence we received shows that where the Covenant is working well it is improving outcomes for service personnel, their families and veterans and is removing some of the disadvantages people face as a result of military service. However, this was not the experience of everyone who responded to our inquiry. We heard many examples where the Covenant was not working as designed, resulting in people who have served being financially disadvantaged, unable to access medical care, or unable to find an appropriate school for their children as a result of their service. In cases like these, the Government and society are falling short of their commitment to the Armed Forces community. (Conclusion, Paragraph 13)
Show less
Government response AI summary
The MOD agrees there are inconsistencies and will provide training materials, webinar sessions, downloadable resources, and updated statutory guidance to help organisations comply and ensure consistent application of the Covenant.
Read full response →
Ministry of Defence
4
Conclusion
4th Report – The Armed Forces Covenant
Accepted
Implementation of the Covenant Legal Duty varies considerably across the UK. In some places the Legal Duty has resulted in the creation of new policies and initiatives that have tangibly improved the lives of the forces community; in others the Duty appears to have changed very little. As a result, …
Read more
Implementation of the Covenant Legal Duty varies considerably across the UK. In some places the Legal Duty has resulted in the creation of new policies and initiatives that have tangibly improved the lives of the forces community; in others the Duty appears to have changed very little. As a result, people’s experiences of the Covenant are very different depending on where they live, which services or organisations they interact with and which individual member of staff in an organisation they speak to. This is frustrating for people in the forces community, and gives them the impression that the Covenant is a hollow commitment. The Government wants to expand the scope of the Covenant, and we understand the reasons 26 for this. However, equal attention must be given to ensuring that the Legal Duty is consistently and appropriately applied and translates into better outcomes for people in the forces community. (Conclusion, Paragraph 20)
Show less
Government response AI summary
The MOD acknowledges varied implementation and plans to provide training materials, webinars, resources, and updated statutory guidance to help organisations ensure consistent application and compliance with the Covenant.
Read full response →
Ministry of Defence
5
Recommendation
4th Report – The Armed Forces Covenant
Accepted
Alongside its plans to legislate for an expanded Covenant Legal Duty, the Government should develop a strategy for making sure the Covenant is fully and consistently applied and recognised by signatories and by those subject to the Legal Duty across the UK, including in the Devolved Administrations. Actions as part …
Read more
Alongside its plans to legislate for an expanded Covenant Legal Duty, the Government should develop a strategy for making sure the Covenant is fully and consistently applied and recognised by signatories and by those subject to the Legal Duty across the UK, including in the Devolved Administrations. Actions as part of this strategy could include establishing clear and demanding standards and mechanisms for accountability, improving guidance to those delivering services, and facilitating knowledge-sharing so that best practice can spread. (Recommendation, Paragraph 21) The future of the Covenant
Show less
Government response AI summary
The MOD accepts the recommendation and will provide training materials, webinar sessions, downloadable resources, and updated statutory guidance to ensure consistent application of the Covenant across the UK.
Read full response →
Ministry of Defence
6
Conclusion
4th Report – The Armed Forces Covenant
Accepted
We welcome the proposal to extend the Covenant Legal Duty to areas of central government. If this duty is properly implemented, we would expect to see Whitehall departments taking the needs of the forces community into account during policy development, so that the forces community are not unintentionally disadvantaged by …
Read more
We welcome the proposal to extend the Covenant Legal Duty to areas of central government. If this duty is properly implemented, we would expect to see Whitehall departments taking the needs of the forces community into account during policy development, so that the forces community are not unintentionally disadvantaged by new policies. (Conclusion, Paragraph 28)
Show less
Government response AI summary
The MOD agrees with the conclusion and is developing plans to extend the Covenant Duty to all UK Government Departments and Devolved Governments, supported by training materials, webinars, and resources.
Read full response →
Ministry of Defence
7
Recommendation
4th Report – The Armed Forces Covenant
Accepted
The Government should extend the application of the Armed Forces Covenant so that all Government departments and the devolved administrations are required to give due regard to the principles of the Armed Forces Covenant. As the current duty of ‘due regard’ is inconsistently interpreted, the extended duty must be accompanied …
Read more
The Government should extend the application of the Armed Forces Covenant so that all Government departments and the devolved administrations are required to give due regard to the principles of the Armed Forces Covenant. As the current duty of ‘due regard’ is inconsistently interpreted, the extended duty must be accompanied by clear guidance so that the duty is clearly understood and is not treated as a tick-box exercise. (Recommendation, Paragraph 29)
Show less
Government response AI summary
The MOD accepts the recommendation and is developing plans to extend the Covenant Duty to all UK Government Departments and Devolved Governments, supported by training materials, webinars, and resources to ensure clear understanding and compliance.
Read full response →
Ministry of Defence
8
Conclusion
4th Report – The Armed Forces Covenant
Accepted
The Government is right to recognise that the existing Covenant Duty does not reach into many areas of life in which the service community faces disadvantage, and to consider expanding the scope of the Covenant Legal Duty. As noted in the previous chapter, extending the Legal Duty will only achieve …
Read more
The Government is right to recognise that the existing Covenant Duty does not reach into many areas of life in which the service community faces disadvantage, and to consider expanding the scope of the Covenant Legal Duty. As noted in the previous chapter, extending the Legal Duty will only achieve meaningful results if it is also deliverable. The extension of the Duty must therefore be co-designed with those who will be bound by it and expected to deliver it, and they must be appropriately resourced to enable them to do so. Otherwise there is a risk that existing commitments will be diluted and that those who deliver the Covenant will only be able to provide the bare minimum of support. Such an outcome would let down the forces community. (Conclusion, Paragraph 30)
Show less
Government response AI summary
The MOD acknowledges the need for co-design and appropriate resourcing, detailing an extensive engagement programme and co-developing a new burdens assessment with MHCLG and LGA, alongside providing training materials and resources.
Read full response →
Ministry of Defence
9
Recommendation
4th Report – The Armed Forces Covenant
Accepted
The Covenant Legal Duty should be expanded to cover the breadth of areas in which members of the Armed Forces community regularly experience disadvantage. The Government should work closely with local authorities and other bodies who might be required to deliver an expanded Covenant 27 Duty to co-design a Duty …
Read more
The Covenant Legal Duty should be expanded to cover the breadth of areas in which members of the Armed Forces community regularly experience disadvantage. The Government should work closely with local authorities and other bodies who might be required to deliver an expanded Covenant 27 Duty to co-design a Duty that meets the needs of the forces community and that can be delivered in the context of severe constraints on their resources. (Recommendation, Paragraph 31)
Show less
Government response AI summary
The MOD acknowledges the recommendation to expand the Covenant Legal Duty, detailing an extensive engagement program, co-developing a new burdens assessment with MHCLG and LGA to address resource constraints, and providing training materials and resources.
Read full response →
Ministry of Defence
10
Conclusion
4th Report – The Armed Forces Covenant
Acknowledged
The evidence available to help us understand how well the Covenant is working is currently very fragmented. This makes recognising success, learning lessons and holding organisations to account difficult. The Minister told us there were ‘plans afoot’ to create structures that can improve Government’s understanding of how well the Covenant …
Read more
The evidence available to help us understand how well the Covenant is working is currently very fragmented. This makes recognising success, learning lessons and holding organisations to account difficult. The Minister told us there were ‘plans afoot’ to create structures that can improve Government’s understanding of how well the Covenant is working. (Conclusion, Paragraph 36)
Show less
Government response AI summary
The MOD acknowledges fragmented data and the importance of improving data collection and governance, describing ongoing stakeholder engagement, roundtables, and a planned annual conference in July 2025 to facilitate knowledge sharing.
Read full response →
Ministry of Defence
11
Recommendation
4th Report – The Armed Forces Covenant
Accepted
The Government should provide the Committee with an update, in its response to this Report and when it gives evidence to the Committee on the Covenant Annual Report in the future, on the work it is doing to improve data collection and sharing of how the Covenant is being delivered. …
Read more
The Government should provide the Committee with an update, in its response to this Report and when it gives evidence to the Committee on the Covenant Annual Report in the future, on the work it is doing to improve data collection and sharing of how the Covenant is being delivered. (Recommendation, Paragraph 37)
Show less
Government response AI summary
The MOD accepts the recommendation and provides an update on current data collection via annual reports and online feedback. They recognise the need for improved data and commit to ongoing engagement, roundtables, and a July 2025 conference to encourage knowledge sharing.
Read full response →
Ministry of Defence
12
Conclusion
4th Report – The Armed Forces Covenant
Acknowledged
To enable proper scrutiny of cross-government efforts to implement the Covenant, Whitehall departments should provide an annual update on actions they have taken to uphold the Covenant as part of the Covenant Annual Report, along with outcomes. Departments should–when requested to do so by the Committee–make themselves available to give …
Read more
To enable proper scrutiny of cross-government efforts to implement the Covenant, Whitehall departments should provide an annual update on actions they have taken to uphold the Covenant as part of the Covenant Annual Report, along with outcomes. Departments should–when requested to do so by the Committee–make themselves available to give evidence as supporting witnesses alongside MOD as part of the Committee’s scrutiny of the Covenant Annual Report. (Recommendation, Paragraph 38)
Show less
Government response AI summary
The government will engage with other departments to consider how they can best report on their Covenant obligations and the MOD will commit to providing evidence, while the Minister will continue to encourage other departments to do the same.
Read full response →
Ministry of Defence
13
Conclusion
4th Report – The Armed Forces Covenant
Accepted
The Armed Forces Covenant is a solemn commitment by our whole society to recognise the courage and dedication of our Armed Forces. While progress has been made since the Covenant was introduced, it is still not consistently implemented and as a result our society is falling short of that commitment …
Read more
The Armed Forces Covenant is a solemn commitment by our whole society to recognise the courage and dedication of our Armed Forces. While progress has been made since the Covenant was introduced, it is still not consistently implemented and as a result our society is falling short of that commitment far too often. The upcoming Armed Forces Bill is an opportunity to renew and reinforce the nation’s promise to those who serve, but this is only part of the change that needs to occur. Understanding of the Covenant needs to be deeply embedded in our institutions and in wider society so that those who have served can be in no doubt that the Covenant is there to support them. The Covenant gives us all a duty to our service men and women; we must take it as seriously as they have taken their duty to us. (Conclusion, Paragraph 39) 28
Show less
Government response AI summary
The government agrees with the conclusion, highlighting existing positive impacts of the Covenant, including enshrining it into law, and states it will continue to explore ways to enhance support for the Armed Forces community.
Read full response →
Ministry of Defence