Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will assess the potential merits of collecting data on (i) long-term health, (ii) employment and (iii) housing outcomes of medically discharged veterans.

The government is fully committed to renewing the nation’s contract with those who serve and who have served, to ensure veterans and their families get access to the health, housing, employment and other support they need.

The government's Veterans Strategy commits to continued investment in data and insights on veterans and their experiences. This will ensure that policy is evidence based, that targeted interventions deliver the right support at the right time, and to measure the strategy’s impact.

Alongside this, the £50 million VALOUR programme will make it easier for all veterans to access the care and support they deserve. VALOUR Recognised Centres, VALOUR Field Officers will gather data on the ground, while VALOUR HQ will work together with policy and research teams to analyse data and insight gathered, to ensure that services are designed to meet local needs. As the programme develops, we are working hard to ensure that the VALOUR network is inclusive of all veterans’ needs and experiences.

For veterans in need of help, dedicated support is available to veterans at risk of or experiencing homelessness through Op FORTITUDE, or for mental and physical health needs through Ops COURAGE and RESTORE. Employment support is delivered through Op ASCEND and programmes such as the Career Transition partnership. For those in contact with or at risk of contact with the Criminal Justice System support is available through Op NOVA.