Oral Answers to Questions Debate

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Department: Ministry of Defence

Oral Answers to Questions

Baroness Prentis of Banbury Excerpts
Monday 22nd October 2018

(6 years, 10 months ago)

Commons Chamber
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Nigel Huddleston Portrait Nigel Huddleston (Mid Worcestershire) (Con)
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1. What steps he is taking to improve veterans’ access to support services.

Baroness Prentis of Banbury Portrait Victoria Prentis (Banbury) (Con)
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13. What steps he is taking to improve veterans’ access to support services.

Gavin Williamson Portrait The Secretary of State for Defence (Gavin Williamson)
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I recently made a series of announcements on new schemes and initiatives designed to support serving personnel and their families throughout their military careers and beyond. Those include a further package to support armed forces personnel as they enter civilian life, a veterans ID card and a new fund dedicated to supporting the careers of the spouses and civil partners of those who serve.

Gavin Williamson Portrait Gavin Williamson
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My hon. Friend makes a valuable point. The armed forces covenant, which I know his local authorities are members of, plays a vital role in ensuring that armed forces service personnel and those who have served are able to plug into health services, help with finding a home or any other support that it is so vital for local authorities to provide.

Baroness Prentis of Banbury Portrait Victoria Prentis
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Would the Secretary of State consider visiting the Heyford and Bicester veterans’ group, which meets once a month on Fridays in my constituency and provides a one-stop-shop for veterans and their families, where they can access all the services that they need?

Gavin Williamson Portrait Gavin Williamson
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I was hoping that I would get such an invite in the near future, and one has just come along. I would be delighted to visit the group. I know that my hon. Friend does so much work there and is so supportive of them, and I look forward to seeing that at first hand.