Asked by: Andrew Bowie (Conservative - West Aberdeenshire and Kincardine)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what steps he is taking to help ensure better provision of mental health support for veterans.
Answered by Al Carns - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for Veterans)
This is a Government of service that will always stand up for those who serve our country. I am leading work across Government and with Civil Society to look at the best ways to ensure veterans and their families get access to the health, housing, employment and other support they need.
NHS England offers Op COURAGE: the Veterans Mental Health and Wellbeing Service, which provides a broad range of specialist mental health and wellbeing care and support for service leavers, reservists, veterans and their families. More information and contact details on Op COURAGE can be found here:
www.nhs.uk/nhs-services/armed-forces-community/mental-health/veterans-reservists.
As health is devolved, I am also looking forward to working with counterparts in the Scottish, Welsh and Northern Ireland Governments on this important issue.
Asked by: Andrew Bowie (Conservative - West Aberdeenshire and Kincardine)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what steps he plans to take to help increase exports from companies in the north east of Scotland.
Answered by Gareth Thomas - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)
My department continues to work with Scottish Government and Scottish Development International to boost exports across Scotland. We specifically work with Aberdeen & Grampian Chamber of Commerce, North east and Highlands and Islands Enterprise to support export growth from the north east.
This Government recognises that the north east is well placed to play a key role in sectors including energy and food and drink. DBT Scotland has dedicated specialists covering these areas in addition to technology, finance and professional business services, and life sciences to take advantage of the DBT offer and increase exports from the north east of Scotland. In addition, the UK Wide Export Champions programme is uniquely operated in Scotland as a mutually appointed partnership with Scottish Development International and the Scottish Government.
Asked by: Andrew Bowie (Conservative - West Aberdeenshire and Kincardine)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what plans he has to reduce veteran homelessness.
Answered by Al Carns - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for Veterans)
The level of homelessness, including for our veterans, is too high.
The Ministry of Defence (MOD) is working across Government to ensure veterans have access to the support they need on housing, as well as mental health, employment and other areas.
The Government will develop a new cross-Government strategy, working with Mayors and Councils across the country, to put Britain back on track to ending homelessness. The MOD will work with other departments to take a long term approach and to tackle the root causes of homelessness.
Asked by: Andrew Bowie (Conservative - West Aberdeenshire and Kincardine)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what steps he is taking to tackle the (a) risks and (b) challenges arising from their service that military personnel can face to their mental health.
Answered by Al Carns - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for Veterans)
Ensuring veterans have access to the mental heath support they need is a priority for this Government. I am leading work across Government and with Civil Society to look at the best ways to ensure veterans and their families get access to the health, housing, employment and other support they need
The MOD delivers a number of existing initiatives that firstly aim to prevent mental ill-health through adopting healthy practices and awareness training, and subsequently to provide support to those who may be struggling.
For those personnel requiring medical intervention the Defence Medical Services (DMS) provide a responsive, flexible, accessible, and comprehensive treatment service, through its mental health clinical professionals who have extensive experience in treatment of mental health problems and psychological injury.
In addition to the specialist diagnosis and treatment, there is a range of other options for mental health support for Service Personnel including on-demand digital resources, and in-person welfare establishments. Pre and post deployment briefing is provided to all personnel (whether Regular or mobilised Reservists) to ensure that the availability of support is highlighted at times when stressors may be heightened.
Asked by: Andrew Bowie (Conservative - West Aberdeenshire and Kincardine)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what funding he plans to provide to support the Veterans Welfare Service in Northern Ireland.
Answered by Al Carns - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for Veterans)
The Veterans Welfare Service (Northern Ireland) became the responsibility of Defence Business Services on 1 April 2023. Budgets are allocated within Defence Business Services at the delivery of veterans' services level, and it is not normally possible to break this information down to individual services. As part of the transfer of responsibility, funding of £805,000 for Financial Year 2024-25 was transferred to Defence Business Services to cover the pay and ongoing contract costs of the Veterans Welfare Service (Northern Ireland).
Asked by: Andrew Bowie (Conservative - West Aberdeenshire and Kincardine)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what steps he is taking to improve support for female veterans.
Answered by Al Carns - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for Veterans)
This is a Government of service that will always stand up for those who serve our country. I am leading work across Government and with Civil Society to look at the best ways to ensure all veterans, including women veterans, and their families get access to the health, housing, employment and other support they need.
Asked by: Andrew Bowie (Conservative - West Aberdeenshire and Kincardine)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the salary will be of the Armed Forces Commissioner.
Answered by Luke Pollard - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence)
The Armed Forces Commissioner is the first in a series of steps that will be taken by the new Government to improve Service life and renew the contract between the nation and those who serve.
The Armed Forces Commissioner will be a direct point of contact for Service personnel and their families to raise issues which impact on service life.
The Armed Forces Commissioner will have the power to investigate individual complaints and to proactively launch independent reviews into issues affecting Service personnel and their families more widely, and to lay those reports before Parliament. The new Commissioner will have a right of access to information, sites and personnel in order to fulfil their role. The Commissioner will incorporate the functions currently undertaken by the Service Complaints Ombudsman.
The Armed Forces Commissioner will strengthen Parliamentary oversight of issues facing our Armed Forces personnel and their families. The Commissioner will be subject to pre-appointment scrutiny by the Defence Select Committee and will report directly to Parliament, not ministers, via an annual report.
There will be opportunities to debate all aspects of the role, remit and operation of Armed Forces Commissioner when the Government brings forward the Legislation outlined in the King’s Speech. Details on budget, pay, grade, staffing and office location will be set out in due course.
Asked by: Andrew Bowie (Conservative - West Aberdeenshire and Kincardine)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, where the office of Armed Forces Commissioner will be based.
Answered by Luke Pollard - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence)
The Armed Forces Commissioner is the first in a series of steps that will be taken by the new Government to improve Service life and renew the contract between the nation and those who serve.
The Armed Forces Commissioner will be a direct point of contact for Service personnel and their families to raise issues which impact on service life.
The Armed Forces Commissioner will have the power to investigate individual complaints and to proactively launch independent reviews into issues affecting Service personnel and their families more widely, and to lay those reports before Parliament. The new Commissioner will have a right of access to information, sites and personnel in order to fulfil their role. The Commissioner will incorporate the functions currently undertaken by the Service Complaints Ombudsman.
The Armed Forces Commissioner will strengthen Parliamentary oversight of issues facing our Armed Forces personnel and their families. The Commissioner will be subject to pre-appointment scrutiny by the Defence Select Committee and will report directly to Parliament, not ministers, via an annual report.
There will be opportunities to debate all aspects of the role, remit and operation of Armed Forces Commissioner when the Government brings forward the Legislation outlined in the King’s Speech. Details on budget, pay, grade, staffing and office location will be set out in due course.
Asked by: Andrew Bowie (Conservative - West Aberdeenshire and Kincardine)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, when he plans to appoint the Armed Forces Commissioner.
Answered by Luke Pollard - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence)
The Armed Forces Commissioner is the first in a series of steps that will be taken by the new Government to improve Service life and renew the contract between the nation and those who serve.
The Armed Forces Commissioner will be a direct point of contact for Service personnel and their families to raise issues which impact on service life.
The Armed Forces Commissioner will have the power to investigate individual complaints and to proactively launch independent reviews into issues affecting Service personnel and their families more widely, and to lay those reports before Parliament. The new Commissioner will have a right of access to information, sites and personnel in order to fulfil their role. The Commissioner will incorporate the functions currently undertaken by the Service Complaints Ombudsman.
The Armed Forces Commissioner will strengthen Parliamentary oversight of issues facing our Armed Forces personnel and their families. The Commissioner will be subject to pre-appointment scrutiny by the Defence Select Committee and will report directly to Parliament, not ministers, via an annual report.
There will be opportunities to debate all aspects of the role, remit and operation of Armed Forces Commissioner when the Government brings forward the Legislation outlined in the King’s Speech. Details on budget, pay, grade, staffing and office location will be set out in due course.
Asked by: Andrew Bowie (Conservative - West Aberdeenshire and Kincardine)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what assessment he has made of the potential economic impact of proceeding with the construction of a GW scale reactor at Wylfa.
Answered by Michael Shanks - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
As a site which has previously hosted a nuclear power station, and is now owned by Great British Nuclear, Wylfa can play an important role in new nuclear in the UK, and we will set out our plans for the site in due course. The Government has not yet carried out an assessment of the economic impact any future project would have at that location. However, according to EDF, Hinkley Point C is supporting up to 12,000 jobs during construction and will support 900 permanent jobs during its 60 years of operation.