HC Deb 14 January 2002 vol 378 cc52-3W
36. Ms Munn

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the armed forces family taskforce. [24498]

Mr. Ingram

The service families taskforce was set up in 1999 by the Government to deal with service family issues that were outside the control of the Ministry of Defence. It is headed by a ministerial group which last met on 15 November last year. I also meet with representatives of service families twice a year to discuss areas of concern. The service families taskforce has been involved in a wide range of issues since its conception. The main areas of progress over the last year are:

  1. (a) The MOD is being consulted by the Department of Health in the drafting of new adoption legislation to ensure that service families will not be disadvantaged.
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  2. (b) We have resolved the problems that some service families had encountered, as a result of the payment of local overseas allowance, in claiming working families tax credit on return to the UK from an overseas posting.
  3. (c) We have resolved the problems that some service spouses had encountered, due to the interpretation of residency status, in claiming Child Support Agency payments when on an overseas posting.
  4. (d) Discussions are taking place with the Department for Education and Skills, and with local education authorities, to see what measures can be taken to improve the schools admissions process for service families.
  5. (e) Discussions are taking place with the NHS waiting and booking team on the problems service families face when transferring between NHS trust areas.
  6. (f) Discussions are taking place with the Department for Work and Pensions to identify any problems service families have faced in the claiming of benefits while on overseas postings.
  7. (g) Since 1 April 2001 service spouses have been able to open stakeholder pensions while on an overseas posting.

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