Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what steps his Department is taking to support veterans with their mental health.

This Government is fully committed to ensuring that veterans have access to the support they need for their health, including specifically support for mental health.

NHS England delivers Op COURAGE, a fully integrated, specialist mental health service for veterans, which has received over 35,000 referrals. The Government has also launched a new programme to deliver dedicated training for NHS staff to help them identify and support patients with a military background, to ensure that the support offered is comprehensive, appropriate and meets the particular needs of veterans.

We also launched VALOUR, a new system to give veterans across the UK easier access to the essential care and support available to them. VALOUR Recognised Centres will facilitate access to multiple services for veterans, and will connect local, regional, and national services. A network of VALOUR Field Officers will bring together charities, service providers, and local government to improve collaboration and coordination, enabling data-driven policy and service development. Finally, a VALOUR HQ, within the MOD, will gather data and insight, working with policy and research teams to ensure services are designed to meet local needs.