Oral Answers to Questions

John Bercow Excerpts

Monday 19th December 2011 Commons Chamber

[Diana Johnson (Kingston upon Hull North) (Lab)]

14. What assessment he has made of the advice from the Armed Forces Pay Review Body; and if he will make a statement.

[Mr Speaker]

Now for an intelligent answer, from whichever Minister.

--- Later in debate ---

[The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Defence (Mr Andrew Robathan)]

Further—wrong one.

[Mr Speaker]

No. 16.

[Mr Robathan]

Yes. We will continue to work closely with the Department of Health on the mental health care of our former service personnel. That includes implementation of all the recommendations in the “Fighting Fit” report produced by my hon. Friend the Member for South West Wiltshire (Dr Murrison).

[Mr Speaker]

I am glad the right hon. Gentleman’s sense of humour has not deserted him.

[Stephen Phillips]

I am grateful to the Minister for that answer. Martin Pratt, about whom I wrote to my right hon. Friend in November, was a constituent of mine before his untimely death. He served his country in the SAS and his experiences were sufficiently traumatic that, long after he had left the Army, he suffered from severe post-traumatic stress disorder which ultimately led to alcoholism and the death of a much loved husband, father and grandfather. It seems clear that there is little understanding in the civilian medical community of such cases of later-life PTSD in military personnel, and very little joined-up thinking between agencies responsible for the care of veterans. I hope that my right hon. Friend can assure Martin’s family and the whole House that he will look into this case in detail with his colleagues in the Department of Health so that the lessons that plainly need to be learned are learned.

--- Later in debate ---

[Nick Harvey]

I very much endorse the enthusiastic welcome that my hon. Friend has given the military wives choir, which comprises constituents both from his Plymouth constituency and my North Devon constituency. We wish it well with its “Wherever you are” single released today and hope that it will be the Christmas No. 1. Matters of VAT must be addressed to the Chancellor.

[Mr Speaker]

I am relieved that the Minister of State did not burst into song, but that may happen later in the day—who knows?

[John Glen (Salisbury) (Con)]

T1. If he will make a statement on his departmental responsibilities.