Menu
Wed, 9 October 2024

Newsletter sign-up

Subscribe now
The House Live All
Our Armed Forces veterans deserve peace. We have a duty to help them find it Partner content
By Help for Heroes
Defence
Defence
Defence
How process and broken promises have stalled progress towards veterans' wellbeing Partner content
Communities
By Lord Watson of Wyre Forest
Defence
Press releases
By BAE Systems Plc

Ministry Of Defence Doubles Payments To Harassment Victims Over Four Years

(Alamy)

3 min read

Bullying, harassment and discrimination compensation payments issued by the Ministry of Defence (MoD) have doubled over the past four years.

In 2019-2020 and 2020-2021, fewer than five settlements were given out by the department within each financial year. This figure increased to six in 2021-22 and rose to 12 between 2022-23.

Average compensation claims cost the taxpayer £145,704 between 2019-2020 and £100,527 from 2020-21. However, this figure increased to £228,669 from 2021-2022 and then rose again to £235,564 between 2022-23. Payments to victims increased by more than 60 per cent over the last four years.

The damages paid represented a “full and final settlement” issued when bullying, harassment and discrimination were the “main causes of action”.

The statistics emerged in Parliament after Maria Eagle, Labour MP for Garston and Halewood, tabled a series of written questions to the MoD.

Robert Courts, Conservative MP for Witney, and Chair of the Defence Committee, told PoliticsHome the MoD should be transparent about why compensation payments had soared over the last four years.

“This raises understandable welfare concerns, particularly in the light of recent stories. MoD ought to explain, in as much detail as possible, what lies behind the increase in payments in order to reassure serving personnel and the public,” Courts said.

In November 60 senior civilian women described the MoD’s working environment as “toxic” and "hostile", according to the Guardian. The newspaper published a letter which accused male co-workers of sexual harassment and repeated inappropriate comments they had received.

Personal accounts from some of the women accused senior male staff of groping, touching female staff on the “lower back and legs”, and rating women by their physical appearance on an Excel spreadsheet.

The MoD told the Guardian it was deeply concerned by the volume of complaints made against the department.

“No woman should be made to feel unsafe in Defence and this behaviour will not be tolerated. We also continue to encourage anyone who has experienced or witnessed this kind of inexcusable behaviour, to report it immediately,” they told the newspaper.

The Defence Committee in July 2022 published a report which claimed it had “serious concerns” of how the department processed complaints.

Sarah Atherton, Conservative MP for Wrexham, and Chair of the Sub-Committee on Women in the Armed Forces, said it was still a “reality” that some female staff were sexually assaulted, harassed and bullied.

The MoD last year announced a “further crackdown” on unacceptable behaviour. A “Zero Tolerance” policy to address sexual harassment offences was published in March, which promised to throw out those who were found guilty of committing sexual offences and bar them from serving ever again.

A 24 hour staff helpline has now been set up by the MoD for staff to help them on bullying, harassment and discrimination. The department also offers Active Bystander and Holistic Allies Training while it is in the middle of rolling out Diversity and Inclusion training for all staff including Personal Perspective training. 

A Ministry of Defence spokesperson said: “We do not tolerate abuse, bullying or discrimination of any kind, which is why we have introduced many changes to improve the experience for everyone in the Armed Forces, including improvements to Service Complaints ensuring independence from the chain of command, enhanced reporting mechanisms and diversity and inclusion training, and increased access to support for personnel.

“We actively encourage any personnel who believe they have experienced or witnessed unacceptable behaviour to report it. All allegations of unacceptable behaviour are taken extremely seriously and are thoroughly investigated. If proven, swift action will be taken.” 

PoliticsHome Newsletters

PoliticsHome provides the most comprehensive coverage of UK politics anywhere on the web, offering high quality original reporting and analysis: Subscribe

Read the most recent article written by Tom Scotson and Tali Fraser - Tories Give Free Conference Passes To Ex-MPs Who Lost Their Seats

Categories

Defence
Podcast
Engineering a Better World

The Engineering a Better World podcast series from The House magazine and the IET is back for series two! New host Jonn Elledge discusses with parliamentarians and industry experts how technology and engineering can provide policy solutions to our changing world.

NEW SERIES - Listen now