Commons Sense

House of Commons · Ministers' Questions

Office for Veterans’ Affairs

Thursday 23 September 2021 · 7 questions

Summarised by AI from the official record, so it can contain mistakes.

Read the full transcript on Parliament.uk

At a glance

Answered 2 Partly answered 4 Not answered 0

Key points

  • Office for Veterans' Affairs has implemented measures such as veterans rail cards, guaranteed civil service interviews, and national insurance holidays for employers hiring veterans.
  • Government is providing an additional 5 million to armed forces charities to support veterans.
  • Veterans strategy focuses on through-career preparation for leaving the armed forces in collaboration with charities like SSAFA.

Topics (select to filter)

Questions & Answers

Q1 Claire Coutinho Con East Surrey
Veterans
Context

The Office for Veterans' Affairs has taken steps to promote veterans' interests, including providing rail cards and NHS support. The question is prompted by a need to further support veterans.

Question

What recent steps the Office for Veterans' Affairs has taken to promote the interests of veterans.

Answer from Leo Docherty

This Government have taken practical measures to support veterans, including veterans rail cards, guaranteed interviews in the civil service for veteran applicants and national insurance holidays for those employing veterans. This year we have put in a cash boost to the armed forces charitable sector and NHS Operation Courage.

Answered
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Q2 Claire Coutinho Con East Surrey
Veterans
Context

Recent events in Afghanistan highlight the dedication and sacrifice of veterans, particularly those suffering from substance and alcohol misuse.

Question

Will the Minister set out the steps he is taking to help veterans, particularly those who suffer from substance and alcohol misuse?

Answer from Leo Docherty

I agree entirely, and we must put on record our thanks to all those involved in the two decades of operational activity in Afghanistan. I thank my hon. Friend for the support she is giving to veterans in her constituency. We are putting an additional £5 million into armed forces charities, bringing that support to more than £25 million this year, and an additional £2.7 million into Operation Courage, bringing that total support to £20 million this year.

Answered
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Q3 Andrew Gwynne Ind Gorton and Denton
Veterans
Context

Research shows that many veterans are not fully prepared for civilian life, highlighting the need to work more closely with charities like SSAFA.

Question

What steps is the Ministry of Defence taking in working with charities such as SSAFA to prepare veterans for civilian life?

Answer from Leo Docherty

The hon. Gentleman is absolutely right to say that the transition is critical, and we want to see a through-career preparation for leaving the armed forces. That is something that we are resolutely focused on in our veterans strategy, which I will be publishing later this year.

Partly answered

Not addressed: Details of specific steps taken with charities like SSAFA were not provided

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Q4 Richard Bacon Con
Housing Veterans
Context

Veterans are disproportionately likely to be homeless, and there is a need for service plots of land for self-build schemes.

Question

Is the Minister aware that veterans are disproportionately likely to be homeless? Will he undertake to work with the new Secretary of State for Housing to ensure that veterans have every opportunity to get service plots of land?

Answer from Leo Docherty

I agree entirely with my hon. Friend, and I am grateful to him for the work that he has done in this area. I think the notion of self-build will appeal to a great many veterans, and I hope that we can continue to work together to ensure that this is a central part of the veteran strategy later this year.

Partly answered

Not addressed: Concrete steps with the Secretary of State for Housing were not specified

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Q5 Jim Shannon DUP Strangford
Mental Health Veterans
Context

Veterans have been further isolated during the pandemic, leading to mental health issues and a need for immediate intervention.

Question

What steps have been taken to ensure that mental health support is available for veterans who have suffered in silence due to isolation during the pandemic?

Answer from Leo Docherty

We have tried to innovate during the covid pandemic by engaging online, but the bottom line is that, given the uptick, we are having to re-energise our engagement with veterans. That is why we are putting in this cash boost so that more people at the coalface can do this kind of supportive work.

Partly answered

Not addressed: Specific steps for immediate intervention were not detailed

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Q6 Sarah Atherton
Veterans
Context

The Defence Committee has recently undertaken an enquiry into women in the armed forces, raising concerns about specific issues faced by female veterans.

Question

What assurances can he give me that the Government are specifically looking at the issues of female veterans?

Answer from Leo Docherty

I have been reading the Select Committee's report with great interest. The MOD is compiling its formal response, and I give my hon. Friend my personal assurance that we take these issues seriously across a whole range of considerations, including uniform and sanitary product provision.

Partly answered

Not addressed: Specific assurances or steps were not provided

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Q7 Margaret Ferrier SNP
Veterans
Context

A constituent has contacted the Office for Veterans' Affairs about access to services and support, highlighting a need for a specific response.

Question

What steps is the Office for Veterans' Affairs taking specifically to make sure that veterans facing obstacles to accessing services are fully supported?

Answer from Leo Docherty

If the hon. Lady would like to raise that case with me personally after this session, I will pursue it with urgency.

Not addressed: Did not provide information on specific steps taken by the Office for Veterans' Affairs

How: Changing Subject

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