Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what provision will be made for former spouses of service personnel following divorce or separation as part of his Department's Defence People Mental Health and Wellbeing Strategy.

The Defence People Mental Health and Wellbeing Strategy will provide a better focus and use of existing services provided by Defence Medical Services, the National Health Service (NHS) in England and the Devolved Administrations and charities. The NHS has primary responsibility for healthcare, including mental healthcare, for former spouses of Service personnel residing in the UK following divorce or separation except those registered with Defence Medical Services. There is no separate provision through the Strategy for former spouses of Service personnel but the Strategy provides the platform for collaborative working with the NHS (including through our commissioning group) to ensure that the needs of former spouses are met in the context of improving mental health under the Five Year Forward view in England.