Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will create a veterans register to help identify and support the needs of veterans (a) generally and (b) during the transition back into civilian life.

The Ministry of Defence (MOD) has no plans to create a register of veterans.

The Department has, however, sponsored the inclusion of questions about veterans in the Office for National Statistics' Annual Population Survey (APS) in order to provide the evidence base required by Government, third parties and the private sector to aid policy development in support of the Armed Forces Covenant and to better understand the UK Armed Forces veteran population in Great Britain. The APS has enabled analysis of veterans by socio-demographic characteristics including: gender, age, location, health, smoking status, employment and accommodation (housing). The latest publication for 2015 is available at the following website: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/annual-population-survey-uk-armed-forces-veterans-residing-in-great-britain-2015.

The vast majority of Service leavers make a smooth transition from military to civilian life. Support for veterans, like all other members of the general population, is provided by the wider Government including local authorities and the Devolved Administrations. The MOD is determined to ensure that veterans who require help are provided with appropriate support including through the Veterans UK helpline and website, the Veterans Welfare Service and the Veterans Information Service which contacts veterans 12 months after their discharge.

Most recently, the launch of the Veterans Gateway on 20 June provided by a consortium of charities led by the Royal British Legion provides extra support in the form of a staffed, 24-hour, one-stop-shop offering guidance on accessing public, private and charitable services in the UK.