Written questions by Savage.

What steps his Department is taking to clear the backlog of outstanding Remediable Service Statements under the McCloud remedy; and what revised timetable he has set for impacted Armed Forces personnel to receive statements.

The Ministry of Defence is collaborating with the scheme administrator to accelerate the delivery of Remediable Service Statements (RSS) by increasing resources, implementing automation to reduce manual processing, and reallocating the workforce to allow staff to focus on the most complex cases.The department is finalising the timeline for issuing all RSSs; this will be communicated to members once confirmed.Regular progress updates are available to members at the following link on the Armed Forces Pensions gov.uk website: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/pensions-and-compensation-for-veterans#remediable-service-statement-delivery-update

Whether his Department has received a request from the United States Government to use RAF Fairford to conduct air strikes against Iran.

As the Prime Minister shared on 1 March 2026, the US requested permission to use British bases for specific and limited defensive purposes. The request was accepted to prevent Iran firing missiles across the region. Permissions to utilise UK military bases are considered on a case-by-case basis and the decision to grant permission is dependent on the nature and purpose of their activity.

Whether he will commit to seeking prior parliamentary approval before permitting foreign military operations to be launched from UK air bases, including RAF Fairford.

As the Prime Minister shared on 1 March 2026, the US requested permission to use British bases for specific and limited defensive purposes. The request was accepted to prevent Iran firing missiles across the region. Permissions to utilise UK military bases are considered on a case-by-case basis and the decision to grant permission is dependent on the nature and purpose of their activity.

What steps he takes to ensure that military operations conducted from facilities in the UK are compliant with international law.

UK military operations are conducted in accordance with International Humanitarian Law. Military personnel are bound by the laws of England and Wales for their actions under the Armed Forces Act 2006. All decisions on whether to approve foreign nations’ use of military bases in the UK for operational purposes consider the legal basis for any proposed activity.

What steps his Department is taking to improve the provision of mental health support to veterans.

Throughout the United Kingdom, the Ministry of Defence Veterans’ Welfare Service (VWS) provides advice and support to veterans, anyone supporting a veteran, their families and dependants. The VWS works with the Royal Navy, British Army and Royal Air Force, local authorities, voluntary organisations and service charities and will routinely assign a case manager and assist with engagement with other services where needed. In England, Op COURAGE and Op RESTORE provide a broad range of specialist mental health, physical and wellbeing care services to veterans, with similar services available in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. Earlier this year, we announced VALOUR, a new commitment to establish the first-ever UK-wide approach to veteran support, which will ensure easier access to essential care and support for veterans across the country.

For what reason outstanding pension payments to veterans under the McCloud Pension Remedy are being delayed.

The implementation of the McCloud Pension Remedy represents one of the most complex undertakings ever associated with Public Sector Pension Schemes, affecting over three million individuals Within the Armed Forces Pension Scheme, the scale of delivery and the technical challenges involved have unfortunately resulted in delays for some members in receiving their Remedial Service Statements. However, the Ministry of Defence is making significant efforts to address these challenges and remains fully committed to ensuring that all members receive their Remedial Service Statements as promptly as possible, with a firm deadline of 31 March 2026. Regular updates on the Armed Forces Pension Scheme 2015 Remedy are available on GOV.UK via the following link:https://www.gov.uk/guidance/pensions-and-compensation-for-veterans#pension-remedy

Whether his Department plans to (a) review and (b) release (i) underused and (ii) surplus land to help meet housing targets in South and North Cotswolds.

The Ministry of Defence (MOD) is committed to reviewing its estate to ensure it is of the right size and suitable for Defence purposes, whilst supporting wider Government house building initiatives. On average, the MOD releases enough surplus land for over 3,500 new homes a year. Any new sites identified as surplus would be disposed in the usual way. As set out in December, the Government has purchased over 36,000 military homes through a landmark deal to bring the military housing estate back into public ownership. Alongside this, the Government kickstarted work on a new military housing strategy which will explore better use of MOD land to support the delivery of affordable homes.