Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether he has considered establishing a permanent programme of engagement with LGBTQ+ veterans following the closure of the Financial Recognition Scheme.

This government is committed to ensuring that all veterans, including those from groups which may have felt previously underrepresented such as LGBT+ and women veterans, have easy access to support, when and where it is needed. Late last year, we launched a new cross-government Veterans’ Strategy, working with devolved governments and across society to recognise the breadth of diversity and experiences of the remarkable men and women who have served in our Armed Forces, and to help ensure that we understand their in-service experiences and that any barriers to accessing support are addressed.

Alongside this we launched the £50 million VALOUR programme, which will make it easier for all veterans to access the care and support they deserve wherever they live in the UK. The first VALOUR-Recognised Centres are now open for veterans and the application process for the second round of funding is ongoing. We are working hard to ensure that the VALOUR network is inclusive of all veterans’ needs and experiences, including women, LGBT veterans and others and we continue to work closely with the Devolved Governments as VALOUR rolls out across the UK.

Last year the government launched a major new NHS training programme backed by £1.8 million which will see NHS staff receive training to identify patients with armed forces backgrounds and provide more targeted, personalised care, including for members of the LGBT+ community. Additionally, every NHS trust in England is now ‘Veteran Aware’, helping those who may struggle to self-identify as veterans to access the bespoke services available to them for conditions such as physical injuries sustained in service and mental health support for conditions like post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and depression.