Commons Sense

House of Commons · Ministers' Questions

Cost of Living: Armed Forces Personnel

Monday 18 July 2022 · 4 questions

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

Read the full transcript on Parliament.uk

At a glance

Answered 1 Partly answered 0 Not answered 0

Key points

  • Ministerial measures include freezing daily food charges and limiting accommodation charge increases to 1% for armed forces personnel.
  • The Minister stated that a new royal yacht project will deliver jobs across the UK, addressing questions about its funding during a cost of living crisis.
  • The Minister offered to meet to discuss a specific case related to helping veterans cope with the rise in the cost of living.

Topics (select to filter)

Questions & Answers

Q1 Joanna Cherry SNP
Defence Economy Employment
Context

The rise in the cost of living has led to increased expenses for armed forces personnel, prompting concerns about their financial stability.

Question

What recent assessment has the Department made of the impact of the rise in the cost of living on armed forces personnel?

Answer from Leo Docherty

Our mitigating measures include a freeze of the daily food charge, limiting the increase in accommodation charges to 1%, and ensuring that the council tax rebate of £150 reaches more than 28,000 armed forces personnel. We are also bringing in wraparound childcare for the new school year.

Answered
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Q2 Marion Fellows SNP
Defence Economy
Context

The cost of a new £250 million royal yacht has raised concerns about its funding during the current economic crisis, especially when personnel have not received real-term rises for years.

Question

Will the Minister confirm that the cost of a new £250 million royal yacht is not coming out of the Ministry of Defence budget during a cost of living crisis when personnel have not received a real-terms rise and bases in Scotland have been closed?

Answer from Leo Docherty

The hon. Lady makes a flippant point. The serious point is that this new vessel will deliver jobs right across the United Kingdom.

Not addressed: cost of living crisis and funding for royal yacht project

How: Flippant Point

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Q3 Joanna Cherry SNP
Taxation Veterans
Context

Veterans over 65 in low-income households miss out on pension credit due to their war disablement pension being considered as normal income, despite not receiving real-term rises.

Question

What steps is the Minister taking to persuade his counterpart at the Department for Work and Pensions to address this anomaly, to help our veterans cope with the rise in the cost of living?

Answer from Leo Docherty

We take any potential anomaly extremely seriously and I would be pleased to meet the hon. and learned Lady to discuss that specific case. It is a bit rich to be told to take lessons on the cost of living from the Scottish National party, given its tax hike on armed forces personnel.

Not addressed: specific steps to address pension anomaly

How: Bit Rich, Tax Hike

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Q4 Stephanie Peacock Lab Barnsley South
Benefits & Welfare Veterans
Context

The Government's own figures show that at least 33,000 veterans are on universal credit, and estimates suggest the actual figure could be double that. Despite this, the Government's veterans strategy cuts specialist employment support.

Question

Why does the Government's veterans strategy cut specialist employment support in jobcentres by 50%, which would help veterans on universal credit who are out of work get back into employment?

Answer from Leo Docherty

We on the Conservative Benches will not perpetuate the myth that receiving universal credit is a bad thing. Many of these people are in high-paid and good jobs. It is a reflection of the fact that this Government support people into work and that military service gives them skills for life.

Not addressed: specific reasons for cutting employment support

How: Not Perpetuate The Myth

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