Asked by: Steve McCabe (Labour - Birmingham, Selly Oak)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how much and what proportion of his Department’s funding is allocated to (a) employing and (b) supporting armed forces champions in jobcentre plus districts.
Answered by Mims Davies - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
The funding for Armed Forces Champions forms part of the overall allocation for Jobcentre Work Coaches and Leaders. There is no specific funding separately identifiable for the role of either employing or supporting our Armed Forces Champions, however the Department is committed to providing 11 dedicated Armed Forces Champion lead posts who oversee 50 Armed Forces Champions posts across the DWP Jobcentre network.
Asked by: Steve McCabe (Labour - Birmingham, Selly Oak)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 1 March 2024 to Question 15405 on LGBT Veterans Independent Review, whether his Department has plans to increase the accessibility of the application process for LGBT veterans who are seeking (a) financial compensation and (b) other non-financial restorative measures.
Answered by Andrew Murrison - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence)
Defence continues to work at pace to establish an appropriate scheme for the financial award and aims to follow a similar application process as the non-financial award recommendations. Development of the scheme and the application process is underway.
The Government worked with LGBT Veterans and charities at pace to implement an accessible process for LGBT veterans to apply for restorative measures. While there are no current plans to change the application process, Defence will continue to review it to ensure it is appropriate and accessible. We are committed to ensuring that all restorative measures are easily accessible for our valued LGBT veterans.
In the meantime, Defence will continue to engage with stakeholders and is committed to providing updates on the development of the scheme; eligibility criteria; and information on the application process on the ‘LGBT Veterans: support and next steps’ GOV.UK page as soon as possible.
For those with further accessibility requirements, Defence provides a Veterans Welfare Service (VWS), which includes assistance in completion of application forms. Further information on this service can be found on their GOV.UK page (https://www.gov.uk/guidance/veterans-welfare-service).
Asked by: Steve McCabe (Labour - Birmingham, Selly Oak)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 1 March 2024 to Question 15405 on LGBT Veterans Independent Review, whether his Department plans to create a single application form for LGBT veterans who are applying for financial compensation.
Answered by Andrew Murrison - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence)
Defence continues to work at pace to establish an appropriate scheme for the financial award and aims to follow a similar application process as the non-financial award recommendations. Development of the scheme and the application process is underway.
The Government worked with LGBT Veterans and charities at pace to implement an accessible process for LGBT veterans to apply for restorative measures. While there are no current plans to change the application process, Defence will continue to review it to ensure it is appropriate and accessible. We are committed to ensuring that all restorative measures are easily accessible for our valued LGBT veterans.
In the meantime, Defence will continue to engage with stakeholders and is committed to providing updates on the development of the scheme; eligibility criteria; and information on the application process on the ‘LGBT Veterans: support and next steps’ GOV.UK page as soon as possible.
For those with further accessibility requirements, Defence provides a Veterans Welfare Service (VWS), which includes assistance in completion of application forms. Further information on this service can be found on their GOV.UK page (https://www.gov.uk/guidance/veterans-welfare-service).
Asked by: Steve McCabe (Labour - Birmingham, Selly Oak)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what progress his Department has made on developing the Universal Support programme as it relates to veterans.
Answered by Mims Davies - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
Universal Support is a new, voluntary employment programme for disabled people, those with health conditions and those with additional barriers to employment, and this will include veterans. The programme will offer veterans up to 12 months of ‘place and train’ support from a dedicated keyworker – helping them to find a suitable role and providing tailored support for the participant and their employer to help sustain that work.
Asked by: Steve McCabe (Labour - Birmingham, Selly Oak)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, pursuant to the Answer of 1 March 2024 to Question 15403 on Jobcentres: Armed Forces, for what reason his Department does not employ specific metrics to assess the performance of Armed Forces Champions in Jobcentres.
Answered by Mims Davies - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
The performance of Armed Forces Champions is reviewed in line with the Department’s performance management approach that includes regular one-to-ones with line managers to discuss team objectives, personal development and career progression.
There are no specific metrics used, but good performance and achievements are recognised. In those areas where there are particularly high levels of demand, for example garrison towns, the local manager will ensure that the right level of support can be accessed.
Asked by: Steve McCabe (Labour - Birmingham, Selly Oak)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, pursuant to the Answer of 1 March 2024 to Question 15403 on Jobcentres: Armed Forces, how the performance of Armed Forces Champions in Jobcentres is (a) reviewed and (b) managed.
Answered by Mims Davies - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
The performance of Armed Forces Champions is reviewed in line with the Department’s performance management approach that includes regular one-to-ones with line managers to discuss team objectives, personal development and career progression.
There are no specific metrics used, but good performance and achievements are recognised. In those areas where there are particularly high levels of demand, for example garrison towns, the local manager will ensure that the right level of support can be accessed.
Asked by: Steve McCabe (Labour - Birmingham, Selly Oak)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the Answer of 26 February 2024 to Question 15551 on Civil Servants: Veterans, how many minority ethnic veterans were employed through the Great Place to Work for Veterans initiative in the last 12 months.
Answered by Johnny Mercer - Minister of State (Cabinet Office) (Minister for Veterans' Affairs)
This Government is committed to making sure that all veterans have equal opportunities and can access valuable, sustainable careers, including in the Civil Service, after they leave the Armed Forces.
There are a range of Civil Service recruitment initiatives for veterans, offering a fulfilling career in public service which makes the most of the skills and capability they have to offer. Over 1,000 veterans to date have secured a job in the Civil Service through the ‘Great Place to Work for Veterans’ initiative and a further 200 veterans have been recruited through the 'Going Forward Into Employment' initiative.
Whilst a breakdown of demographics of veterans who apply to Civil Service roles is not currently available, the Office for Veterans’ Affairs is committed to enhancing the collection, use and analysis of data across the public, private and charitable sectors to build our evidence base to effectively identify and address the needs of veterans
Asked by: Steve McCabe (Labour - Birmingham, Selly Oak)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the Answer of 1 March 2024 to Question 15550 on Civil Servants: Veterans, whether his office captures regional data on veterans who access employment through the Great Place to Work for Veterans initiative.
Answered by Johnny Mercer - Minister of State (Cabinet Office) (Minister for Veterans' Affairs)
This Government is committed to making sure that all veterans have equal opportunities and can access valuable, sustainable careers, including in the Civil Service, after they leave the Armed Forces.
There are a range of Civil Service recruitment initiatives for veterans, offering a fulfilling career in public service which makes the most of the skills and capability they have to offer. Over 1,000 veterans to date have secured a job in the Civil Service through the ‘Great Place to Work for Veterans’ initiative and a further 200 veterans have been recruited through the 'Going Forward Into Employment' initiative.
Whilst a breakdown of demographics of veterans who apply to Civil Service roles is not currently available, the Office for Veterans’ Affairs is committed to enhancing the collection, use and analysis of data across the public, private and charitable sectors to build our evidence base to effectively identify and address the needs of veterans
Asked by: Steve McCabe (Labour - Birmingham, Selly Oak)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the Answer of 1 March 2024 to Question 15551 on Civil Servants: Veterans, whether his office captures demographic data on veterans who access employment through the Great Place to Work for Veterans initiative.
Answered by Johnny Mercer - Minister of State (Cabinet Office) (Minister for Veterans' Affairs)
This Government is committed to making sure that all veterans have equal opportunities and can access valuable, sustainable careers, including in the Civil Service, after they leave the Armed Forces.
There are a range of Civil Service recruitment initiatives for veterans, offering a fulfilling career in public service which makes the most of the skills and capability they have to offer. Over 1,000 veterans to date have secured a job in the Civil Service through the ‘Great Place to Work for Veterans’ initiative and a further 200 veterans have been recruited through the 'Going Forward Into Employment' initiative.
Whilst a breakdown of demographics of veterans who apply to Civil Service roles is not currently available, the Office for Veterans’ Affairs is committed to enhancing the collection, use and analysis of data across the public, private and charitable sectors to build our evidence base to effectively identify and address the needs of veterans
Asked by: Steve McCabe (Labour - Birmingham, Selly Oak)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 1 March 2024 to Question 15406 on Independent Review of UK Government Welfare Services for Veterans, if he will provide deadlines for implementation of each of the recommendations of that Review.
Answered by Andrew Murrison - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence)
I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave him on 15 March 2024 to Question 17306.