Oral Answers to Questions

Liz Twist Excerpts

Monday 25th March 2024 Commons Chamber

[Liz Twist (Blaydon) (Lab)]

3. What recent steps Veterans UK has taken to support veterans and their families.

[Kate Hollern (Blackburn) (Lab)]

4. What recent steps Veterans UK has taken to support veterans and their families with the cost of living.

--- Later in debate ---

[The Minister for Defence People and Families (Dr Andrew Murrison)]

With other Government Departments, the Ministry of Defence delivers a range of services to our brilliant veterans and their families. That includes the administration and payment of armed forces pensions and compensation, the provision of tailored advice and assistance through the veterans welfare service, defence transition services and the integrated personal commissioning for veterans.

[Liz Twist]

A new report from Northumbria University found that suicide among serving personnel and veterans could be reduced if there was better understanding within existing care provision of the specific challenges that they face. The report also found that military families felt unheard, misunderstood and not cared for during the most difficult periods of their lives, so what steps is the Minister taking, alongside our NHS, to deliver compassionate trauma-informed support for serving personnel and veterans?

[Dr Murrison]

I am glad that the hon. Lady has raised that issue. She will know that we have a defence suicide prevention strategy, which is reviewed regularly. She will also know that, overall, suicide in the armed forces is below what we might expect in the civilian population. There is a sub-group within that—young men—where it looks as if the rate is going up. We are looking very closely at that to better understand the reasons for it and how we can prevent it.