To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how much his Department has spent on its policy for the recruitment and management of transsexual personnel in the Armed Forces; how many members of staff were engaged in preparing the policy; and how many meetings his Department has held with representatives of organisations representing transsexual personnel in preparing the policy. (260442)

The tri-service policy for the recruitment and management of transsexual personnel in the armed forces was prepared as part of the Department’s normal business; accordingly no additional staff costs were incurred. The policy was drafted by staff in the armed forces’ diversity team in consultation with personnel from the single-service equality and diversity teams, legal advisers and medical staff. Advice was also sought from a:gender, the support network for staff in Government Departments and agencies who have permanently changed their perceived gender, but no meetings were held with them.