Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Robin Walker and Anna Soubry

Monday 20th October 2014 Commons Chamber

[Mr Robin Walker (Worcester) (Con)]

9. What assessment he has made of the contribution of armed forces community covenants to the reserves and cadet forces.

[The Minister of State, Ministry of Defence (Anna Soubry)]

The Government have committed £30 million over four years to fund a range of community integration projects. That work helps to deliver a network of support for our armed forces community, whether regular, reservist, serving or veteran. Full details and accountability will be provided in the annual report on the covenant.

[Mr Walker]

I am grateful to the Minister for her reply. I recently visited the Hereford and Worcester Army Cadet Force at their base in Tiddesley Wood, and a very impressive bunch they are too. Will she join me in commending the decision of the regional grant committee of the armed forces community covenant partnership to fund a new shooting range for those cadets, which I understand will also be available to local reservists?

[Anna Soubry]

I absolutely will not hesitate to commend it and point out that it received a grant of about £70,000. I understand that a further £6,000 has been made available in Worcestershire and Herefordshire for booklets to help ensure that all our service families and personnel know about the services available to them. That is another good example of some great work being done under this Government.