Commons Sense

House of Commons · Ministers' Questions

Female Veterans

Thursday 25 April 2024 · 3 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 2 Not answered 0

Key points

  • The Office for Veterans' Affairs has provided 445,000 for research into the lived experiences of women veterans and for development of further support.
  • The term "female military sexual trauma" will be acknowledged in the women's strategy, which will be published before the summer recess.
  • The Minister meets the Welsh Government and other devolved authorities regularly to ensure that women veterans receive the necessary support.

Topics (select to filter)

Questions & Answers

Q1 Sarah Atherton
Women & Equalities Veterans
Context

The MP is concerned about the lack of specific support for female veterans, who are often a hidden community with unique challenges.

Question

What steps he is taking to improve support for female veterans. I am one of the estimated 250,000 female veterans, and I have spent the last four years raising awareness of this hidden community. I have been chair of the advisory board; the evidence gathering has ended and the recommendations have been made.

Answer from Johnny Mercer

The Office for Veterans' Affairs has provided £445,000 for research into the lived experiences of women veterans and for development of further support. The Government's first women's strategy is being developed to better address their needs. The term 'female military sexual trauma' will be acknowledged. The strategy will be published before the summer recess.

Partly answered

Not addressed: The specific inclusion of 'female military sexual trauma' in the strategy was not explicitly confirmed, only that it would be acknowledged.

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Q2 Sarah Atherton
Women & Equalities Veterans
Context

The MP has been chair of the advisory board for female veterans' strategy, which completed evidence gathering.

Question

Will the Minister let me know whether the term, “female military sexual trauma” will be acknowledged and included in the women's strategy, and the date on which the strategy will be published?

Answer from Johnny Mercer

I recognise the unique challenges around sexual trauma in the military. The term will be acknowledged. The strategy will be published before the summer recess.

Partly answered

Not addressed: The specific inclusion of 'female military sexual trauma' was not confirmed, only that it would be acknowledged.

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Q3 Stephen Doughty Labour (Co-op) Cardiff South and Penarth
Northern Ireland Scotland Wales Veterans
Context

The MP has met with many female veterans in his constituency and worked with organisations like Woody's Lodge to ensure they receive proper support.

Question

What is the Minister doing to work with the Welsh Government and local authorities across the whole of the UK to ensure that women veterans get the support that is rightly being asked for?

Answer from Johnny Mercer

We meet the devolved authorities regularly. We have great relationships internationally now in terms of setting the pace on that, and I want to make sure it is concomitant with what we are doing with the devolved authorities: we have regular meetings with the Welsh Government and the Scottish, and indeed we are going over to Northern Ireland again in two weeks.

Answered
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