Royal British Legion

Debate between Al Carns and Luke Myer

Tuesday 1st April 2025 Westminster Hall

[Al Carns]

If I can be there, I definitely will. It will be fantastic and I would not want to miss it.

It has been mentioned that the Royal British Legion was founded in 1921 from the merger, interestingly, of four ex-servicemen’s organisations. I think that that has not been mentioned in a debate since 2013, so I would like to reflect on that. The RBL established the two-minute silence and the poppy appeal—remembrance traditions that endure today and, importantly, unite the nation. It has expanded its support to all those who have served for at least seven days, adapting to each generation’s changing needs. I will, perhaps, talk about that shortly. It is now the UK’s largest military charity, with 180,000 members, 110,000 volunteers—an army in itself—and a network of partners and charities.

There is an important point, which was mentioned more than four times by various speakers in the debate, about schools and educating people about why remembrance is so important. As we approach VE Day, yes, it is important to remember the sacrifice of individuals, but it is also important to remember the cause of the collective. Why were those people called to the front in the first place? To protect the freedoms that we all enjoy. Again, the underlying message is that freedom is not necessarily free. We can reflect that idea into the geopolitical situation of today—with North Korean troops fighting on the very edge of Europe—which has probably never been so fractious. There is an important role for the RBL and other charities in enhancing the lessons of the past and ensuring that the youth of the nation remember that.

The RBL is an organisation that makes an immeasurable contribution, from remembrance and representation to service and support. Its iconic annual poppy appeal, which I collected for in London last year, has become woven into the very fabric of our national identity. It is an organisation that also gives practical, life-changing support, day in and day out, seven days a week and 24 hours a day.

[Luke Myer]

I just want to inform my hon. Friend of a meeting that I had with my local RBL in Boosbeck last week. As a result of him coming to our constituency for a discussion on veteran mental health, a local developer, who saw the coverage of that visit, is now converting a former disused nursing home into a specialist veterans’ supported-living community in our constituency. Will he take this moment to commend the Castle Court veterans village project? I wonder whether he would like to visit.

[Al Carns]

I absolutely support the Castle Court veterans village. I think it is a fantastic initiative, and I really enjoyed the visit—and all of the visits that I have been on. I just get that grassroots feel. When we combine that with some of the broader national priorities that we are pushing, we end up with the perfect mix of deliverables.

Perhaps that is a useful opportunity to come on to the Government partner: that is, the Royal British Legion. It is a key partner to the Government as we work to rewrite the contract between the state and those who serve, those who have served, and, of course, very importantly—as mentioned by my hon. Friend the Member for Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland (Luke Myer)—the families who also serve alongside them.

The Royal British Legion has been a steadfast partner to the armed forces covenant, throughout its creation and review and as the Government have worked to extend its scope and implementation. The Royal British Legion ensures that the voice of our armed forces community is heard at the highest level, helping to shape the policies that affect our service personnel. The Royal British Legion runs the vitally important Battle Back military rehabilitation centre at Lilleshall, which supports the physical and psychological recovery of service personnel and veterans. Finally, the Royal British Legion is, of course, our Invictus games delivery partner, and I look forward to inviting it to Birmingham in 2027.

The Royal British Legion not only partners with us, the Government, but pushes Government and local authorities to do better, and the manifesto that it published last year contained a wide range of useful recommendations to end the disadvantage faced by our armed forces community. Perhaps this is an opportunity to answer some of the questions that the hon. Member for Hinckley and Bosworth raised earlier about building on what the previous Government have done. First, I would like to thank him for his push for my promotion into Cabinet, but I would argue that the Defence Secretary represents us in Cabinet.

Interestingly, by pooling the Office for Veterans’ Affairs and the Veterans Minister in Defence, we have really tied the veterans space back into all the constituent parts in Defence that already deal with veterans activity. Individually, they were significant, but, collectively, it is really powerful. We have managed to really synthesise the support to veterans over time, and that is building and will come out in due course.

The Office for Veterans’ Affairs, which was created by the previous Government, is a fantastic organisation and expanding, but, if we look below the Office for Veterans’ Affairs, what sits between it and the charitable sector? As mentioned earlier, where can we help to cohere and co-ordinate the charitable sector, build data, push down strategy and enhance the services at not just the national level but the local level? I think that is where the sweet spot is. As we pull the covenant into law in 2026, and expand that duty, that will be really important, because there is a requirement for education and communication on what the covenant is, and, of course, what it is not.

As mentioned by the hon. Member for Hinckley and Bosworth, Ops Courage, Fortitude, Restore and Ascend probably deal with in excess of 40,000 people across mental health, housing and musculoskeletal issues, all the way through to career-transition partnership. Interestingly, the statistics on career transition are that circa 86% of all veterans went straight into employment after the first year. I can happily say to the hon. Member for South Suffolk that the national insurance measure is still in place for the next 12 months, and I hope to extend that long into the future.

On indefinite leave to remain availability after five years of service, we have made the manifesto commitment to reduce that to four years, and, of course, to waive visa fees. I am happy to take that discussion offline if anyone would like to discuss that in more detail in due course.

I would like to give the hon. Member for Hinckley and Bosworth a minute at the end, so I will wrap up very quickly. As a veteran, and as the Minister for veterans and people, I will do all I can to support the RBL’s work, and to partner with them and work collaboratively. I trust that all hon. Members would like to join me in putting on the record our appreciation for all of its service, which is absolutely invaluable to not only the Government but the thousands of people who serve, their families, and the veterans themselves.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Al Carns and Luke Myer

Monday 10th February 2025 Commons Chamber

[Luke Myer (Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland) (Lab)]

On Thursday, my hon. and gallant Friend the Minister for Veterans and People came to my constituency for an important discussion on veterans’ mental health. May I ask him for his reflections on that discussion and on what actions he will be taking moving forward?

[Al Carns]

First of all, I thank my hon. Friend for hosting a fantastic get-together with veterans, bereaved families and the charitable sector. I learned a huge amount from the visit. I looked again at how councils are delivering support to veterans, which I can contrast and compare with other visits, and will come out with a plan in due course.