Every parliamentary written question tabled by Andrew Bowie this session, with the full answer and department. See how every department answers, or back to the MP page.
Showing 41–53 of 53 · Ministry of Defence
What steps he is taking to support veterans with the cost of living.
The Government is fully committed to delivering for veterans as an integral part of our Armed Forces community. I am leading work across Government to look at the best ways to ensure veterans and their families get access to the support they need.
Whether it is his policy to continue the Operation Prosper campaign.
The Government is fully committed to delivering for veterans as an integral part of our Armed Forces community. I am leading work across Government to look at the best ways to ensure veterans and their families get access to the health, housing, employment and other support they need.
If he will make it his policy to support the previous Government’s Op Restore, the Veterans Physical Health and Wellbeing Service.
The Government is fully committed to delivering for veterans as an integral part of our Armed Forces community. I am leading work across Government to look at the best ways to ensure veterans and their families get access to the health, housing, employment and other support they need.
If he will make it his policy to continue the previous Government's work on Op Courage, the veterans' mental health service.
The Government is fully committed to delivering for veterans as an integral part of our Armed Forces community. I am leading work across Government to look at the best ways to ensure veterans and their families get access to the health, housing, employment and other support they need.
If he will make it his policy to support the previous Government’s Op Fortitude campaign.
The Government is fully committed to delivering for veterans as an integral part of our Armed Forces community. I am leading work across Government to look at the best ways to ensure veterans and their families get access to the health, housing, employment and other support they need.
What plans he has to reduce veteran homelessness.
The level of homelessness, including for our veterans, is too high. The Ministry of Defence (MOD) is working across Government to ensure veterans have access to the support they need on housing, as well as mental health, employment and other areas. The Government will develop a new cross-Government strategy, working with Mayors and Councils across the country, to put Britain back on track to ending homelessness. The MOD will work with other departments to take a long term approach and to tackle the root causes of homelessness.
Whether he plans to bring pensions for Gurkha soldiers who retired before 1997 in line with the standard British Army pension.
The Government greatly values the service of all members of the Armed Forces, including the Gurkhas, who have a long and distinguished history of Service to the UK, both here and overseas. The Government takes its responsibilities to our Gurkha veterans very seriously and is committed to providing Gurkha veterans with a fair pension. The 1948 Gurkha Pension Scheme is different to other Armed Forces Pension Schemes, but these differences are objectively and reasonably justified. The legal basis for Gurkha pensions has been upheld by three Judicial Reviews since 2003, including a case that went to the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR). The Government maintains that the 1948 Gurkha Pension Scheme continues to provide a good income for our Gurkha veterans living in Nepal, in accordance with the original scheme design. As a Minister new to the Gurkha Pension issue, I look forward to meeting with the Ambassador of Nepal and the Gurkha veteran representatives in due course.
What the operating budget will be for the Office for Veterans Affairs in each financial year of this Parliament.
The resource budget for the Office for Veterans’ Affairs for financial year 2024-25 is £9.956 million. The budget for the remainder of this Parliament will be determined by the next Spending Review, which has not yet commenced.
What recent progress his Department has made in implementing the remaining recommendations of the LGBT Veterans Independent Review. published in May 2023.
Since the publication of Lord Etherton’s Independent Review in June 2023, and the Government response in December 2024, Defence continues to work at pace to deliver the intent behind the report’s recommendations. As of 18 July 2024, 30 of the 49 recommendations have already been made available to those affected. Work to implement the intent behind the remaining 19 recommendations is underway, including the recommendations for the memorial at the National Arboretum and the financial award for which the Government intend to begin accepting applications by the end of 2024. Defence encourages those affected to register their interest in applying for restorative measures by completing the LGBT veterans: support and next steps - https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/lgbt-veterans-support-and-next-steps.
Whether he plans to appoint a National Veterans Commissioner.
The Ministry of Defence is leading work across Government to look at the best ways to ensure veterans and their families get access to the health, housing, employment and other support they need. The role of Veterans Commissioner is already established across the nations of the UK. The Ministry of Defence will work closely with our Veterans Commissioners to improve support for those who have served our country, including work to put the Armed Forces covenant fully into law.
What recent progress his Department has made on implementing the recommendations of the Independent Review of UK Government Welfare Services for Veterans, published on 17 July 2023.
The response to the independent review of UK Government Welfare Services for Veterans was published in December 2023. The response accepted the principle and intended outcome of all the review’s recommendations. Work is ongoing to implement changes to meet the review’s intent, which include transforming the way Ministry of Defence Welfare Services are delivered and improving the Veterans’ Gateway digital offer. An implementation timeline spanning the next 12-18 months has been developed to make the changes required to meet the review’s recommendations.
How many Veterans’ ID cards have been delivered.
The HM Armed Forces Veteran Card has had a two-phase rollout. Phase 1 is complete; all Service leavers since December 2018 automatically receive a Veteran Card from MOD as part of their discharge process. Phase 2 extended access to the Veteran Card to those who left before December 2018. The new digital application and verification service launched at 00:01 on 28 January 2024 allowing pre-2018 veterans to apply for the card. Under Phase 2, as at 17 July 2024, 132,536 applications had been received for the HM Armed Forces Veteran Card and 117,924 card applications had been processed and posted.
How many applications have been received for Veterans’ ID cards.
The HM Armed Forces Veteran Card has had a two-phase rollout. Phase 1 is complete; all Service leavers since December 2018 automatically receive a Veteran Card from Ministry of Defence as part of their discharge process.Phase 2 extended access to the Veteran Card to those who left before December 2018. The new digital application and verification service launched at 00:01 on 28 January 2024 allowing pre-2018 veterans to apply for the card.Under Phase 2, as at 17 July 2024, 132,536 applications had been received for the HM Armed Forces Veteran Card and 117,924 card applications had been processed and posted.