Conor McGinn – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Conor McGinn on 2015-11-18.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what progress has been made with the implementation of the recommendations made in Lord Ashcroft’s Veterans’ Transition Review, published in February 2014.

Mark Lancaster

The Ministry of Defence’s (MOD) resettlement policy is continuously reviewed and the most recent update was issued in October 2015.

Good progress has been made against the recommendations made in the Veterans’ Transition Review. Of the discrete recommendations 29 are fully in place and considered closed; and a number of remaining recommendations are partially in place with further development planned and time-tabled.

The MOD continues to work with a number of charities, and the Government is committed to supporting their work. Actions already delivered include the provision of a 24-hour helpline for veterans, better support for those that leave the Service early so that all Service leavers get the provision they need, financial education for new recruits and better transfer of medical records.

The MOD’s own Veterans Welfare Service is on the ground in every part of the UK providing one to one help and support to veterans with housing and any other problems they may have. Further work is under way to create a directory of Service charities so it is easier for veterans to find the support they need, and the contract for career transition support has been re-let to ensure it best meets the needs of veterans looking for jobs and training.