Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Lord Lancaster of Kimbolton and Andrew Stephenson

Monday 13th March 2017 Commons Chamber

[Mark Lancaster]

I have no idea where the hon. Lady gets her facts from and I am slightly worried that we seem to be talking veterans down again. As a result of the CTP, some 85% of our service personnel find employment within six months—some 10% higher than the figure for the UK population as a whole.

[Andrew Stephenson (Pendle) (Con)]

Service leavers have been highly trained and possess highly transferable skills which add value to any company in the civilian world. What more can be done to ensure that civilian employers understand the value of former service personnel?

[Mark Lancaster]

This is exactly where the armed forces covenant comes in and it shows why we must be so careful in this House when we seem determined sometimes to talk our veterans down. The sorts of skill sets that they can bring to civilian companies are very valuable, and this is something we absolutely enforce now that some 95% of our recruits join an apprenticeship scheme.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Lord Lancaster of Kimbolton and Andrew Stephenson

Monday 29th February 2016 Commons Chamber

[Mark Lancaster]

I am of course delighted to join my hon. Friend in praising the work of the Royal Marines up in Scotland. I have seen their work first hand in recent years.

[Andrew Stephenson (Pendle) (Con)]

13. What support his Department provides to members of the armed forces who are subject to legal claims relating to their service.