Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what discussions he has had with the NHS on improving prevention and treatment of gambling harms among Armed Forces personnel and veterans.

The Ministry of Defence takes problem-gambling very seriously and works closely with Armed Forces personnel and Veterans who require support.

The comprehensive Defence Primary Health Care Gambling pathway within the Defence Medical Services, assesses and supports Service personnel who come forward with a gambling issue and, when required, refers them to specialist NHS gambling services and clinics. Service personnel can also self-refer into these services.

This pathway includes an assessment of gambling addiction using recognised validated assessment tools such as the Problem Gambling Severity Index. Data collected from these assessments can be used to help Defence monitor and understand the scale of gambling harms within Service personnel.

Defence engages routinely with NHS colleagues delivering specialist gambling prevention and treatment services. The Public Health Unit within Defence engages proactively with Department of Health counterparts and will continue to work cross-Government to secure the best possible evidence and insight into how to support Service personnel with gambling issues.

Veterans are eligible for gambling addiction treatment through the NHS. The Office for Veterans' Affairs in the Ministry of Defence regularly works with the third sector and academia to ensure veteran-specific needs are understood.