Oral Answers to Questions

Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi Excerpts

Monday 24th May 2021 Commons Chamber

[Ian Byrne (Liverpool, West Derby) (Lab)]

What steps he has taken to improve the transition of armed forces personnel into employment.

[Mr Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi (Slough) (Lab)]

What steps he has taken to improve the transition of armed forces personnel into employment.

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

In 2019-20, 84% of service leavers were employed within six months of leaving—higher than the UK employment rate of 76%. We support people transitioning out of the armed forces with the Career Transition Partnership and Defence Transition Services. We have also introduced a national insurance holiday for employers and veterans and a guaranteed entry scheme for veterans seeking to join the civil service. Veterans’ employment is a huge success. They bring energy, loyalty and commitment to the workplace, and that is something we should celebrate.

--- Later in debate ---

[Leo Docherty]

Family life is at the heart of service, and service families are an integral part of the defence community. We want flexibility and choice when it comes to the choices that families make, and that is why we are bringing forward our families strategy, which will include things like wraparound childcare and a range of other initiatives to help ensure that there is choice and flexibility for service families.

[Mr Dhesi]

Cobseo, the Confederation of Service Charities has noted that there was only one mention of self-employment or business ownership in the 2020 armed forces covenant annual report. With the pandemic making it more likely that veterans will have to explore self-employment as a viable career option, what action will the Minister take to ensure that he supports self-employment within the veteran community?