Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether he has considered appointing a veterans commissioner for England.

This is a Government of service that will always stand up for those who serve our country, no matter which community they are based in. I am working across Government and with civil society to ensure veterans get access to the health, housing, employment and other support they need.

I work closely with the Veterans Commissioners for Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. I have also asked officials to look holistically at the support available to veterans, how it is delivered and explore options for simplifying access to that support and also improving governance to increase institutional resilience. That governance work will look at what are the most appropriate requirements for support across both England and the United Kingdom.