Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what cross-departmental work his Department is undertaking on veterans' welfare.

A very feature of the Armed Forces Covenant is the Covenant Reference Group (CRG), which is chaired by the Cabinet Office Minister for Government Policy and includes representatives from all of the main Government Departments. The CRG meets regularly to guide and direct work on the Armed Forces Covenant, including support for the veteran community. Other members of the CRG include the three Service Family Federations, COBSEO (the Confederation of Service Charities) and other charities.

The Ministry of Defence (MOD) is represented at cross-Departmental groups, such as the DCLG Working Group for Homeless Veterans. In addition, the MOD co-chairs with the Department of Health the MOD/UK Departments of Health Partnership Board, which is responsible for ensuring that the MOD and UK Health Departments work together to meet the requirements of the Armed Forces Covenant (an obligation which the NHS in England is mandated to deliver), and to improve the health and healthcare of the Armed Forces, their families and veterans.