Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Leo Docherty and Peter Gibson

Thursday 13th January 2022 Commons Chamber

[Peter Gibson (Darlington) (Con)]

11. What steps the Office for Veterans’ Affairs is taking to help improve employment opportunities for veterans.

[The Minister for Defence People and Veterans (Leo Docherty)]

We are putting the employability of veterans at the heart of our veterans strategy. We are rolling out a national insurance holiday for employers of veterans and guaranteeing job interviews for veterans applying to join the civil service. We know that veterans make fantastic employees and that military service does indeed give skills for life.

[Peter Gibson]

I thank the Minister for that answer. Could he outline for the House every step that is being taken to ensure that all veterans get access to and information about every opportunity and every job vacancy?

[Leo Docherty]

We are determined to ensure a gold standard when it comes to communicating the availability of support and opportunity for veterans. That is why we have invested £500,000 in this financial year alone to help deliver the Veterans’ Gateway service, which is an online portal for all veterans’ welfare needs. The Office for Veterans’ Affairs continues to promote all services and opportunities available to veterans.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Leo Docherty and Peter Gibson

Monday 5th July 2021 Commons Chamber

[Leo Docherty]

My thoughts are with the family of Danny Butcher. Every veteran suicide is an absolute tragedy and we must seek to learn lessons from this. We are working to ensure that all service leavers have adequate financial educational awareness, and we want to ensure that is the case across all three services, specifically with regard to debt, household financial management and mortgages. I am grateful to my hon. Friend for raising this important subject today.

[Peter Gibson (Darlington) (Con)]

  If he will make a statement on his departmental responsibilities.