Oral Answers to Questions

Ben Lake Excerpts

Wednesday 25th June 2025 Commons Chamber

[The Deputy Prime Minister]

I commend my hon. Friend for her campaigning work on this issue. I have met some of those affected and know their strength of feeling; I have heard their deeply personal testimony of their experiences. Especially during Armed Forces Week, I pay tribute to all nuclear veterans and their enduring contribution to our nation’s security. We are looking into unresolved questions regarding medical records as a matter of priority.

[Ben Lake (Ceredigion Preseli) (PC)]

Q2. I join the Deputy Prime Minister in thanking members of the armed forces community for their service. I have had the privilege in recent months of meeting many veterans in my constituency, some of whom still carry the trauma of war. Some, including amputees, have told me how repeat disability assessments are too often required of them in order to access financial support. Does the Deputy Prime Minister agree that veterans with life-changing service-related injuries should be exempted from repeat disability assessments?

[The Deputy Prime Minister]

Part of our reforms are to ensure that those who can never work are properly supported and not put through endless assessment, and I thank the hon. Member for raising this case. We are committed to renewing the nation’s contract with those who have served, and a range of support is in place for veterans, including dedicated medical and physical healthcare pathways in the NHS, employment, and housing. The new support system, VALOUR, backed by £50 million of funding, will provide a network of support centres to connect veterans with local and national services.