Labour MP Euan Stainbank asked whether the Ministry of Defence had assessed the merits of criminalising such behaviour.
Defence minister Louise Sandher-Jones said the department had made no such assessment and stated that existing legislation already covers cases involving deception or personal gain.
Sandher-Jones noted that “the Ministry of Defence has made no assessment of introducing new offences for impersonating Armed Forces personnel or Veterans and has no current plans to consider criminalising such impersonation, given that existing measures already apply in certain circumstances.”
She added that while veterans are expected to follow guidance on wearing medals, “it is not a criminal offence for Veterans, or the public, to wear medals to which they are not entitled unless, by doing so, an individual is seeking to make personal gain or defraud others.”
Key offences already apply, according to her response. The Fraud Act 2006 and equivalent Scottish provisions make it illegal to fraudulently wear uniforms or medals “if for financial gain or to cause disadvantage to others.” The Uniforms Act 1894 also prohibits wearing Armed Forces uniforms or items resembling them without permission, though it allows use for theatrical purposes.
Sandher-Jones said that “whenever it is suspected that an individual might be committing an offence, the matter should be reported to the civilian police.”
