Asked by: Earl of Effingham (Conservative - Excepted Hereditary)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask His Majesty's Government, in the light of reports that homelessness among military veterans in England increased by 14 per cent in the past 12 months, what steps they plan to take to ensure that ongoing regular training on the benefits of financial, dietary and physical education are provided to members of the armed forces throughout their careers rather than only as they leave the armed forces.
Answered by Earl of Minto - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)
The Ministry of Defence is committed to the health and wellbeing of our Armed Forces. The Defence People Health and Wellbeing Strategy 2022-27 promotes the importance of health and wellbeing across Defence, adopting a holistic approach to mental health, physical health, and social health. It directs a coordinated approach to promote, prevent, detect and treat poor health and wellbeing early to enable optimal recovery. It ensures that all our people will be in a state of positive physical, mental and social health and wellbeing throughout their career.
The Ministry of Defence is also working to raise financial awareness among Service personnel; all three Services provide links on their welfare sites to several financial advisory sites including the Money and Pension Service (https://maps.org.uk/en#) and Joining Forces Credit Union (JFCU) (https://www.joiningforcescu.co.uk/). Service personnel are provided with online and face to face briefings from the JFCU which aim to assist them, their partners, families, and dependants, to be better equipped to manage their money and financial affairs. Officers can also signpost their personnel to the JFCU which supplies bespoke products to move Service personnel away from Payday Loan Companies. JFCU also attend events on military bases and provide general financial advice to both existing personnel and new recruits.
Regarding advice on nutrition, the Defence Nutrition Advisory Service (DNAS) provides evidence-based nutrition education and training through career, starting in Initial Military Training. The DNAS also provides over a hundred evidence-based factsheets and briefs within the themed areas of: Public Health Nutrition, Sports and Exercise Nutrition Military Nutrition, Clinical Nutrition and Nutrition for Health Professionals.
Asked by: Earl of Effingham (Conservative - Excepted Hereditary)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to promote, encourage and ensure the involvement of UK small and medium sized-enterprises in the supply chain for the global combat air programme.
Answered by Earl of Minto - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)
This Government recognises that Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) make a significant contribution to the defence supply chain and wider UK prosperity. That is why we are taking steps to make it easier for SMEs to access opportunities and to bid for requirements. We are also encouraging our major suppliers to publish their own sub-contract opportunities through the Defence Sourcing Portal, making it easier for SMEs to find and bid in for defence work.
The Ministry of Defence (MOD) will be hosting a SME event to help support the procurement activity of the Global Combat Air Programme (GCAP). This initial event will explore the opportunities GCAP presents, as well as giving SMEs direct contact with prime suppliers and senior MOD stakeholders connected to the programme.