Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Al Carns and John Cooper

Monday 24th March 2025 Commons Chamber

[Al Carns]

I thank my hon. Friend for highlighting two amazing individuals who I imagine are putting a huge number of hours into supporting the veterans community and the armed forces community. The covenant will come into law in 2026, and when it does, we need to ensure that those armed forces champions understand what it provides at local level and can harness its benefits for the whole of the armed forces.

[John Cooper (Dumfries and Galloway) (Con)]

T6.   The Hawk aircraft, most famous in the scarlet livery of the Red Arrows, is at the end of its service life. Can Ministers explain what steps they are taking to ensure that we replace it with a British-built sovereign capability?

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Al Carns and John Cooper

Monday 10th February 2025 Commons Chamber

[John Cooper (Dumfries and Galloway) (Con)]

T5. We pressed the Government to extend continuity of education allowances to 100% for service families. We were told that there would be no exemptions from the depredations of the decision to impose VAT on school fees, but it turns out that the children of American servicemen and women are exempt. Would it not be fair to extend that exemption to the men and women who serve our country?

[The Minister for Veterans and People (Al Carns)]

There is a long-standing deal with other nations on the welfare of families and so on. This Government are supporting our armed forces community. We will pay 90% through the CEA. We have given service personnel the biggest pay rise, and we are addressing the recruitment and retention crisis that we were left with.