Office for Veterans’ Affairs 2021-03-25
2021-03-25
TAGS
Response quality
Questions & Answers
Q1
Direct Answer
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Context
The Office for Veterans' Affairs is under scrutiny for its effectiveness in promoting veterans' interests.
What recent steps has the Office for Veterans' Affairs taken to promote the interests of veterans?
I am incredibly proud of the work of the Office for Veterans' Affairs, which has fundamentally shifted the dial when it comes to looking after our veterans in this country. Whether it is the guaranteed interview scheme, the £10 million mental health care pathway that we established last week, veterans' railcards or national insurance contribution holidays, we are making slow and irreversible progress in this domain, and we will continue to do so under this Government.
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Assessment & feedback
Response accuracy
Q2
Partial Answer
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Context
A veterans' commissioner is being established in Wales to address the unique challenges faced by Welsh veterans.
Will the Minister confirm that work to create a post of a veterans' commissioner for Wales is under way at pace and that the postholder will work across both Welsh and UK Governments to ensure that all hurdles for Welsh veterans can be overcome?
I pay huge tribute to my hon. Friend for campaigning so energetically on this issue. Veterans' commissioners are incredibly important across the country. There is no doubt that in some areas there is excellent veterans' care, and in other places not so much. What this Government are absolutely committed to is levelling up that experience as a veteran across the UK. We have a veterans' commissioner in Scotland, and in Northern Ireland for the first time. I am delighted that the Welsh Government are working with us on this. We will deliver it so that the whole United Kingdom becomes the best place in the world in which to be an armed forces veteran.
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Assessment & feedback
Confirmation of work pace and specific mechanisms for cross-governmental cooperation were not provided
Response accuracy