Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what assessment he has made of the potential role of the Veterans Welfare Service Northern Ireland in (a) shaping and (b) delivering the VALOUR programme to take account of (i) regional needs and (ii) existing collaborative practice.

VALOUR is a new programme to establish the first ever UK-wide approach to veteran support. A network of new regional field officers will work with local organisations to coordinate local delivery and ensure that services are designed to meet the needs of their local communities. In Northern Ireland, we will build on the effective collaborative between the Office for Veterans’ Affairs, Veterans Welfare Service Northern Ireland and the Northern Ireland Veterans’ Commissioner’s Office. This will include enhancing partnerships with the wider veteran support system, including the Thrive Together programme led by Brooke House. The detailed structures and processes that will underpin VALOUR will be designed in collaboration with a range of relevant partners, including these local partners, with further details to be announced in due course.