Support for Veterans 2025-03-24
2025-03-24
TAGS
Response quality
Questions & Answers
Q1
Partial Answer
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Context
The MP visited the Heyford and Bicester veterans group, which was set up by Ian Ridley to provide comprehensive services for veterans in the region. However, this initiative lacks funding from the MOD and does not receive referrals from the armed forces.
I recently visited the Heyford and Bicester veterans group in my constituency, which was set up by Ian Ridley to support fellow veterans throughout the region. This fantastic initiative brings together a range of services from charities, the NHS and local authorities to support veterans. However, when speaking to Ian, I was amazed to discover that the group receives no funding from the MOD, and that veterans in our region are not signposted to its services when they leave the armed forces. I therefore invite the Minister to visit the group with me and see the work that it does, so that we can discuss how to make it more routine for services such as those that it offers to be made available to our fantastic veterans.
I thank all the people, most of whom are probably volunteers, who are supporting veterans in the hon. Member’s constituency. Two days ago I visited another tri-service veterans hub that is delivering, I think, exactly the same types of services. We often find that while there is a great deal support out there, it is difficult for veterans to navigate the process of finding the right place, and we are working on plans to help them with that.
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Assessment & feedback
The Minister did not commit to visiting the Heyford and Bicester veteran's group or signing off any specific plan to improve access to their services for veterans.
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Q2
Partial Answer
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Context
The MP's constituency is a proud armed forces town with connections to the Army Foundation College, Menwith Hill, and Catterick. Veterans often move back to the area after postings but struggle with access to local authority housing.
Harrogate is a proud armed forces town and the location of the Army Foundation College, and Menwith Hill and Catterick are nearby. North Yorkshire as a whole plays an important part for our armed forces. Veterans in my constituency have told me that they often move back there after postings throughout their careers, but they then have problems accessing housing through the local authority. What conversations is the Minister having with local government colleagues to ensure that local authorities have a better understanding of how to listen to what veterans say about the adaptations they need?
As the hon. Member knows very well, access to social and affordable housing is a severe problem across the country. We work with many councils, explaining to them the covenant as a whole and the need for veterans to be fast-tracked. Op Fortitude is a prime example: there have been 3,000 referrals, and 825 veterans have been put into housing in a relatively short time. I would like to connect the hon. Member with that operation to ensure that we can point any veterans who need such support in the right direction.
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Assessment & feedback
The Minister did not provide specific details of conversations or plans, only mentioning an existing program called Op Fortitude.
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Q3
Partial Answer
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Context
The MP visited a veteran named Richard, who lives in a home provided by the Derventio Housing Trust. The trust offers homes for people without them, including those who have served in the armed forces.
I visited Richard, a veteran, in his home, provided by the Derventio Housing Trust. The trust, based in Derby, offers homes for people without them, including those who have served in our armed forces. Volunteers from Derventio recently renovated a house in the city specifically for veterans. Does the Minister agree that such support is vital, and will he tell us what the Government are doing to help with the provision of housing, care and support for our veterans in need?
I congratulate the individuals in that trust on supporting the veterans in my hon. Friend’s constituency. I have visited many different parts of the UK and observed the phenomenal volunteer support that veterans often have to rely on. We want to establish a structure that will focus that support and also direct veterans to the help that they need more quickly and effectively, and we will unveil our plans in due course.
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Assessment & feedback
The Minister did not provide specific details of government efforts or plans for supporting veteran housing provision.
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Q4
Partial Answer
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Context
The MP mentions the idea of giving veterans automatic interviews for relevant roles in public services, an initiative already practiced by some fire authorities.
Will the Minister meet me, and other members of the all-party parliamentary group for the armed forces, to discuss rolling out the best practice of some fire authorities to give those who have served our country automatic interviews for relevant roles in the public sector? It is a brilliant idea that would really benefit my constituents, and I think that all those who have gone above and beyond to serve our country should be served by all of us upon their return.
That is a great initiative. Service beyond service is something that we should be promoting, and I will take that as best practice, have a look at it and see whether we can roll it out across the nation, so that when people leave the military they can secure at least a first interview for a role in the fire service, the police, the NHS or any other public services.
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Assessment & feedback
The Minister did not commit to meeting the MP and discussing specifics of the initiative.
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Q5
Partial Answer
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Context
The MP discusses the MOD's decision to judicially review a recent coroner’s verdict regarding the shooting of several IRA terrorists at Clonoe. He suggests that further actions should be taken to protect veterans.
Veterans who served in Northern Ireland will no doubt welcome the Veterans Minister’s decision—first suggested by the shadow Defence Secretary—that the MOD should judicially review the recent coroner’s verdict regarding the shooting of several IRA terrorists at Clonoe. Well done, I say, but why not go further to protect veterans, and drop the plans to revoke large parts of the Northern Ireland Troubles (Legacy and Reconciliation) Act 2023, which would only serve to facilitate yet more inquests of this type?
The right hon. Member makes an important point. Having visited Northern Ireland just two weeks ago, I share the concerns of many veterans who have served in Northern Ireland, particularly concerns about the misinterpretation of the challenging context in which many of these inquests and inquiries are taking place. I remind Members on both sides of the House that not so long ago, in the ’70s, ’80s and ’90s, there were major explosions in every major city in the United Kingdom and assassinations across the UK. Killings were a regular event in Northern Ireland, and we sent our service personnel there to protect peace, save lives and, indeed, prevent a civil war.
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Assessment & feedback
The Minister did not address why he is not dropping plans to revoke parts of the Legacy Act.
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Response accuracy