Asked by: Steve McCabe (Labour - Birmingham, Selly Oak)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the Answer of 1 March 2024 to Question 15550 on Civil Servants: Veterans, if he will make an estimate of the number of veterans that were employed through the Great Place to Work for Veterans initiative in the West Midlands in the last 12 months.
Answered by Johnny Mercer
I have nothing further to add to the answer I gave to the Hon. Member on 20 May 2024. (UINs PQ26837-PQ26838-PQ26840).
Asked by: Steve McCabe (Labour - Birmingham, Selly Oak)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the Answer of 19 March 2024 to Question 18033 on Civil Servants: Veterans, if he will make an estimate of the number of veterans from minority ethnic backgrounds that were employed through the Great Place to Work for Veterans scheme in the last 12 months.
Answered by Johnny Mercer
I have nothing further to add to the answer I gave to the Hon. Member on 20 May 2024. (UINs PQ26837-PQ26838-PQ26840).
Asked by: Steve McCabe (Labour - Birmingham, Selly Oak)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what support his Department is providing to veterans to help them become entrepreneurs.
Answered by Johnny Mercer
This Government is committed to making sure that our veterans have equitable access and opportunity to a full range of career options after leaving military service, including self-employment, SME (small & medium-sized enterprise) ownership and entrepreneurship.
The Government-owned British Business Bank has a specialist delivery partner, X-Forces Enterprise, for its Start Up Loans programme which specifically supports veterans, members of the wider Armed Forces community and their family members. Since 2013 there have been over 3000 Start Up Loans delivered by X-Forces Enterprise, totalling over £33 million of finance provided.
Asked by: Steve McCabe (Labour - Birmingham, Selly Oak)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of taking further steps with private sector employers to help support more veterans into employment.
Answered by Johnny Mercer
This Government is committed to making sure that our veterans and their families have equitable access and opportunity to a full range of career options after leaving military service, and to working with employers to make this vision a reality.
The recently announced Op PROSPER backed by £2.1 million in government funding will work closely with employers and industry bodies to establish new clear and accessible routes for veterans and their families into employment which makes the most of their skills and capabilities, in key industries at the forefront of innovation and economic growth.
We have also introduced and continued 12-month National Insurance relief for eligible employers recruiting veterans in their first civilian role after leaving military service, which is of benefit to all businesses and employers across the country.
This work is supported by the OVA-launched Employers Guide to Hiring Veterans which showcases innovation and best practice and the OVA-hosted Veteran Employers’ Group brings together leading employers from across the UK.
Asked by: Steve McCabe (Labour - Birmingham, Selly Oak)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what recent discussions he has had with private sector employers on the employment of veterans.
Answered by Johnny Mercer
This Government is committed to making sure that our veterans and their families have equitable access and opportunity to a full range of career options after leaving military service, and to working with employers to make this vision a reality.
The recently announced Op PROSPER backed by £2.1 million in government funding will work closely with employers and industry bodies to establish new clear and accessible routes for veterans and their families into employment which makes the most of their skills and capabilities, in key industries at the forefront of innovation and economic growth.
We have also introduced and continued 12-month National Insurance relief for eligible employers recruiting veterans in their first civilian role after leaving military service, which is of benefit to all businesses and employers across the country.
This work is supported by the OVA-launched Employers Guide to Hiring Veterans which showcases innovation and best practice and the OVA-hosted Veteran Employers’ Group brings together leading employers from across the UK.
Asked by: Steve McCabe (Labour - Birmingham, Selly Oak)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether his Department plans to increase the (a) number and (b) frequency of the military training exercises conducted with non-NATO allies at army garrisons in the next 12 months.
Answered by Leo Docherty
Due to the high volume of activity already in the pipeline, the Department does not currently have any plans to increase training on the UK Defence Training Estate with partners or allies (NATO or otherwise) within the next 12 months.
Asked by: Steve McCabe (Labour - Birmingham, Selly Oak)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether his Department plans to increase the (a) number and (b) frequency of the military training exercises conducted with NATO allies at army garrisons in the next 12 months.
Answered by Leo Docherty
Due to the high volume of activity already in the pipeline, the Department does not currently have any plans to increase training on the UK Defence Training Estate with partners or allies (NATO or otherwise) within the next 12 months.
Asked by: Steve McCabe (Labour - Birmingham, Selly Oak)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the Answer of 19 March 2024 to Question 18034 on Civil Servants: Veterans, what his planned timetable is for implementation of those improvements.
Answered by Johnny Mercer
Further to question 18034, the Office of Veterans’ Affairs plans to launch the improvements by October.
Updated guidance on GOV.UK for veterans is underway, and will be updated iteratively as we work through the pages available.
Asked by: Steve McCabe (Labour - Birmingham, Selly Oak)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, if he will make an assessment of the potential impact of the Veterans’ Career Development Fund on employment levels for veterans.
Answered by Johnny Mercer
This Government is committed to making sure that our veterans and their families have equitable access and opportunity to a full range of career options after leaving military service, including access to the qualifications, training and skills development they may need to progress in their careers.
The recently announced Op PROSPER backed by £2.1 million in government funding includes the £700,000 Veterans’ Career Development Fund grant, which makes funding available to organisations providing qualifications, training and skills development to veterans and their families in locally based communities across the country.
The Veterans’ Career Development Fund is administered as a grant by the Armed Forces Covenant Fund Trust, and includes a planned evaluation of the overall Op PROSPER programme and its outcomes.
Asked by: Steve McCabe (Labour - Birmingham, Selly Oak)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what recent assessment he has made of the effectiveness of the Going Forward into Employment scheme for supporting ethnic minority veterans.
Answered by Johnny Mercer
This Government is committed to making sure that all veterans have equal opportunities and can access valuable, sustainable careers, including in the Civil Service, after they leave the Armed Forces.
A breakdown of demographics and locations of veterans who apply to Civil Service roles is not held in the format requested.