Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether the review of welfare provision for veterans will include a detailed examination of the medical discharge process.

The independent review of His Majesty’s Governments’ veterans' welfare support services, announced by the Ministry of Defence (MOD) and the Office for Veterans’ Affairs on the 2 March 2023, will encompass the MOD’s Veterans’ Welfare Services, as well as the Northern Ireland Veterans Support Office, and the Government's role in the Veterans’ Gateway, and how they fit into wider Government support to veterans. It will also align with the Reviews of the Armed Forces Compensation Scheme and Veterans Advisory and Pensions Committees that are currently underway.

The medical discharge process is delegated to the single Services to afford each branch of the Armed Forces the necessary flexibility to respond effectively to the unique and varying environments in which their people are employed. While each of the single Services' medical discharge process is subject to regular review, there are no current plans to include these in the independent review.