Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what progress has been made on meeting obligations to veterans in accordance with the Military Covenant.

The majority of service-leavers make a successful transition into civilian life, due in no small part to the ethos and skills they develop during their Service careers. For those who struggle, the Government is committed to ensuring they receive the support they need and are treated with the dignity they deserve.

One of the key tenets of the Covenant is that the Armed Forces community should, in some cases, be afforded special consideration. That is why, subject to clinical need, veterans receive priority care from NHS England and in the Devolved Administrations.

Over the past five years we have allocated £40 million to support veterans with accommodation needs. In addition, the Chancellor announced in March that a new £25 million fund would be set up, to which charities can apply to assist our elderly veterans. These are the people to whom our nation turned at the most perilous moments in our history, and it is absolutely right that we recognise their needs now.