Asked by: Chris Williamson (Independent - Derby North)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether his Department (a) leases (b) provides in kind any (i) office space and (ii) other resources to the Institute for Statecraft.
Answered by Tobias Ellwood
The Ministry of Defence has no centrally-held record of any provision of office space to the Institute for Statecraft.
In Financial Years 2016-17 and 2017-18, the Armed Forces Covenant Fund Trust's Local Grants Programme awarded a total of £177,650 to 12 separate small projects run by the Shared Outcomes Programme, an initiative of the Institute for Statecraft which works with young people (aged 14 - 18) from minority communities in areas facing economic and social challenge and aims to increase participants' life opportunities and support them in fulfilling their potential. The Shared Outcomes projects enable young people to take part in challenging activities such as assault courses, night navigation exercises and camping while visiting an Army base, and other activities designed to improve community cohesion. In addition, in 2017 the Army made a single payment of £6,800 to the Institute for Statecraft for specialist training.
Asked by: Chris Williamson (Independent - Derby North)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether his Department has (a) funded, (b) awarded contracts to and (c) procured the services of the Integrity Initiative in each financial year since 2015-16.
Answered by Stuart Andrew - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
The Ministry of Defence has no record of any payments and/or contracts with The Integrity Initiative.
Asked by: Chris Williamson (Independent - Derby North)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if the Government will change regulations to provide a war widow's pension for life for those who were awarded war widows' pensions between 31 March 1973 and 5 April 2005.
Answered by Anna Soubry
There are no current plans to amend the War Pensions Scheme. We are currently considering the representations that have been made to us including by the Royal British Legion and the War Widows' Association.
Asked by: Chris Williamson (Independent - Derby North)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will bring forward legislative proposals to support former armed services' personnel to readjust to civilian life by providing (a) low cost mortgages, (b) low interest loans to start a business, (c) payment of tuition fees and living expenses for university or vocational educational and (d) health care bespoke to individual needs.
Answered by Anna Soubry
There are no plans to introduce such legislation. As Lord Ashcroft highlighted in his recent review of transition arrangements, the measures we already have in place ensure that the vast majority of Service leavers make a successful transition to civilian life. Amongst many others, these measures include:
- resettlement and career assistance from the Ministry of Defence funded Career Transition Partnership;
- funding for nationally recognised qualifications through Enhanced Learning Credits and;
- a range of schemes to help veterans and their families secure appropriate accommodation, detailed in the answer I gave on 28 April 2014, (Official Report, columns 442-443W) to the hon. Member for Windsor (Mr Afriyie).
Healthcare provided by the National Health Service is already bespoke to individual needs, and reflects the aspirations of the Armed Forces covenant.
Asked by: Chris Williamson (Independent - Derby North)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what assessment he has made of the potential costs and benefits of bringing forward legislative proposals similar to those in the US Servicemen's Readjustment Act 1944.
Answered by Anna Soubry
We have made no assessment of legislative proposals along these lines. We have robust measures in place to prepare our Service personnel for civilian employment as well as addressing any accommodation, welfare, health and domestic needs and concerns. As Lord Ashcroft highlighted in his recent review of transition arrangements, these measures ensure that the vast majority of Service leavers make a successful transition to civilian life.
All Service leavers are entitled to resettlement assistance from the Ministry of Defence funded Career Transition Partnership (CTP), and around 85% of those who use the CTP are employed within six months of leaving. In addition, all Service leavers are entitled to housing and financial advice and, through the Officers Association or the Regular Forces Employment Association, lifetime job finding support.
While in Service, our personnel can receive skills, qualifications and experience accredited to nationally recognised standards to ease the transition back into the civilian work place. In addition, we provide financial support to conduct vocational as well as professional advancement.
We also support a range of schemes to help veterans and their families secure appropriate accommodation. For information about the guidance and support the Department provides, I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 28 April 2014, (Official Report, columns 442-3W) to the hon. Member for Windsor (Mr Afriyie).
Asked by: Chris Williamson (Independent - Derby North)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will make it his policy that a war widow's pension is provided for life to those awarded such a pension between 31 March 1973 and 5 April 2005.
Answered by Anna Soubry
It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.