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Veterans: Identity Cards

Asked by Dr Ellie ChownsGreen PartyMinistry of DefenceTabled Answered 18 February 2025UIN 30910

The question

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of the implementation of the Digital Veteran Card system on the data protection of veterans (a) with sensitive service histories and (b) who served in Special Forces.

Answered by Al Carns

To ensure the privacy and protection of Veteran's personal information, the implementation of the Digital Veteran Card system will be developed in collaboration with Government Digital Services and Office for Veterans’ Affairs. It will comply with the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), Secure by Design Principles and other applicable data protection legislation. As with the current physical cards, the digital cards will not hold or present detailed or sensitive Service information.

The Project is working in close collaboration with the Office of Veterans’ Affairs (OVA) to engage and consult with veterans throughout the development and delivery of the Virtual Veterans Card. This is completed via user research with veterans and charities to understand their needs to ensure the Ministry of Defence provides a high-quality user-centred service.

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