Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what steps her Department is taking to provide rehabilitation to military veterans serving custodial sentences.

HMPPS delivers a range of initiatives to support veterans. This includes the Veterans Activity Hubs at HMP Holme House and HMP Risley, which provide safe and supportive spaces for veterans, improving their wellbeing and confidence, and make their transition into the community more likely to succeed.

HMPPS also delivers services via many third sector organisations (including military charities such as SSAFA) who provide a prison in-reach service offering resettlement advice to veterans whilst in custody and guidance in preparation for release.

Across the prison estate, almost all prisons have a Veterans in Custody Support Officer, whose role is to identify prisoners who have served in the armed forces and provide tailored support to them, and many of these officers are veterans themselves.