Oral Answers to Questions

Ian Levy Excerpts

Thursday 2nd February 2023 Commons Chamber

[Alex Burghart]

I am pleased to say that from where I sit I have seen some very good relations recently. We have been working in lockstep on the Procurement Bill with colleagues from Northern Ireland and Wales to devise a new procurement regime. I am obviously happy to consider her Bill.

[Ian Levy (Blyth Valley) (Con)]

14. What steps his Department is taking to ensure Government services meet the needs of veterans.

[Antony Higginbotham (Burnley) (Con)]

18. What steps his Department is taking to ensure Government services meet the needs of veterans.

[The Minister for Veterans’ Affairs (Johnny Mercer)]

We are working to better understand the needs of veterans and their families through research and data collection with organisations such as the Office for National Statistics. We also regularly engage with the charities sector and with veterans directly, for example through the veterans’ survey, which closes today.

[Ian Levy]

Our veterans are civilians in waiting to return to civilian life. Given the recent census and new data on veteran communities, are there any plans to improve healthcare services for ageing veterans with muscular and skeletal problems incurred through military service?

[Johnny Mercer]

Veterans healthcare is a responsibility across the nation, with 1,789 GP surgeries and 132 hospital trusts now veteran accredited. It is a low level of commitment, but it makes the world of difference to veterans who are trying to access musculoskeletal services. I am determined that by the next general election, every GP surgery in the country will be veteran accredited and every hospital trust too. I will work hard to ensure we achieve that ambition.