Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Melanie Onn and Tobias Ellwood

Monday 26th November 2018 Commons Chamber

[Melanie Onn (Great Grimsby) (Lab)]

Has the Minister assessed the impact on mental health of delays to appeal hearings for the armed forces compensation scheme?

[Mr Ellwood]

We are concerned about that. We do not want to see any delay in the allocation of armed forces compensation, and if the hon. Lady has a specific issue, I will be delighted to meet her to discuss it.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Melanie Onn and Tobias Ellwood

Monday 5th March 2018 Commons Chamber

[Mr Ellwood]

I am not sure there is much more to add than “ill-thought-out mess”.

[Melanie Onn (Great Grimsby) (Lab)]

On the conditions of service, it is also right that servicemen and women who become unfit for duty should have a system that supports them that is fit for purpose. We know that currently, it is not. The Minister said that his Department would publish a response to the February 2017 review of the armed forces compensation scheme a year after publication. Where is it?

[Mr Ellwood]

I will certainly write to the hon. Lady with the details of that. She is absolutely right; we want to see people recuperate, recover and get back on to the frontline. One of the big changes last year was our mental health and wellbeing strategy, which does exactly that—it removes the stigma that sometimes is attached to people coming forward, to make it clear when there is an issue that needs to be dealt with, so that they can get back on to the frontline. I will write to her.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Melanie Onn and Tobias Ellwood

Monday 15th January 2018 Commons Chamber

[Melanie Onn (Great Grimsby) (Lab)]

6. When the Government plan to publish their response to the armed forces compensation scheme review, published in February 2017.

[The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Defence (Mr Tobias Ellwood)]

The Ministry of Defence is carefully considering the recommendations of the armed forces compensation scheme review. It has always been the intention to publish a response a year after the publication of the review, which came out in February 2017.

[Melanie Onn]

As part of the Government’s response to the consultation, will the Minister consider the fact that, since the establishment of the compensation scheme 11 years ago, only 56% of claimants have been given awards, that 96% of those have been in the lowest four levels of support and that 60% of those low-level awards that are then appealed receive an increase in award? That significant percentage demonstrates flaws in the original decision-making process. Will he commit to urgently improving that first-stage decision making to ensure that veterans are given the support they deserve?

[Mr Ellwood]

I am happy to look at the concerns the hon. Lady raises. The quinquennial review took place in 2016, and overall we were found to have remained on track and fit for purpose. We are making some changes, but they will be announced later in the year.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Melanie Onn and Tobias Ellwood

Monday 23rd October 2017 Commons Chamber

[Melanie Onn (Great Grimsby) (Lab)]

T6. Will the Minister please confirm to the House when the outcome of the armed forces compensation scheme quinquennial review will be published?

[Mr Ellwood]

As nobody else is getting up, I will jump to my feet. I look forward to presenting the armed forces quinquennial review in the very near future.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Melanie Onn and Tobias Ellwood

Monday 10th July 2017 Commons Chamber

[Melanie Onn (Great Grimsby) (Lab)]

T5. Recently, I attended the Grimsby veterans breakfast, and I was told about the problems that former servicemen and women have in accessing local mental health services. What representations did the Defence Secretary make to the Health Secretary regarding the dropping of the promised new mental health Bill from the Queen’s Speech?

[Mr Ellwood]

This goes into the new strategy that is being launched in a couple of weeks’ time, and I would be delighted to learn more about what the hon. Lady learned at her meetings, but I can say that regular meetings take place between the Secretary of State and the Health Secretary.