Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Gerry Sutcliffe and Lord Robathan

Monday 10th October 2011 Commons Chamber

[Mr Gerry Sutcliffe (Bradford South) (Lab)]

What further support are the Government going to give to ex-service people who belatedly discover that they have post-traumatic stress disorder?

[Mr Robathan]

The hon. Gentleman raises a very important issue, not least because PTSD can take many years—up to 16 years—to show itself. I am sure that the hon. Gentleman has read the report of my hon. Friend the Member for South West Wiltshire (Dr Murrison), called “Fighting Fit”, which leads a way forward.

Things are not perfect yet, but we are going forward. We are deploying additional mental health nurses across the country in NHS hospitals and we are working closely with Combat Stress to ensure that ex-service personnel get the opportunity, through both a call line and otherwise, to get treatment as necessary. It is extremely important that they get that treatment.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Gerry Sutcliffe and Lord Robathan

Monday 5th July 2010 Commons Chamber

[Mr Robathan]

I entirely agree with my hon. Friend that we should concentrate on running the armed forces, but I am sure she would agree that £58,000 is not a huge amount to spend on curating. However, I was pretty surprised to discover that in 2004, £250,000 was spent on Hoque and Cattrell paintings for the foyer of the main MOD building. It seems to me that that money could have been better spent on, for instance, armed forces accommodation, which has was raised earlier.

[Mr Gerry Sutcliffe (Bradford South) (Lab)]

Will the Minister therefore confirm whether the Department or the Government have any plans to sell off any of the Government art collection?

[Mr Robathan]

No decisions have yet been made. Who knows?