Written questions by Narayan.

What steps his Department is taking to ensure that the VALOUR support system is accessible to veterans in (a) rural and (b) remote areas.

VALOUR is a new commitment to establish the first-ever UK-wide approach to veteran support. It will ensure easier access to essential care and support is available, wherever they live in the UK. This regional approach, based on a network of VALOUR support centres providing multiple services in one place, together with regional field officers coordinating the provision of local services, will ensure that services are designed to meet the needs of their local communities. The detailed structures and processes that will underpin VALOUR will be designed in collaboration with relevant partners and further details will be announced in due course.

If he will make an estimate of the number of war pension applications pending review on (a) 11 March 2025, (b) 11 March 2024 and (c) 11 March 2023; and what steps he is taking to tackle the backlog.

Work is underway to tackle the backlog war pension applications pending action, of which has increased in the last few months. The department continually review and evaluate its processes to look for ways to improve and minimise claim processing times. The caseload is subject to constant review and when necessary, steps are taken to target resources to a particular team or work area to expedite the workflow. Please refer to the following table for the current number of pending War Pension applications: DateHolding Data (no of claims on hand)1 March 20224,8741 March 20235,3341 March 20246,22828 February 20259,964 The extract numbers held on the specific date of the 11 March each year could not be produced, therefore the data above was taken from 1 March for 2022-2024 and 28 February 2025.

What steps his Department is taking to accelerate the review process for war pension application; and whether any changes to internal procedures or decision-making frameworks are being considered to reduce waiting times.

Work is underway to tackle the backlog war pension applications pending action, of which has increased in the last few months. The department continually review and evaluate its processes to look for ways to improve and minimise claim processing times. The caseload is subject to constant review and when necessary, steps are taken to target resources to a particular team or work area to expedite the workflow. Please refer to the following table for the current number of pending War Pension applications: DateHolding Data (no of claims on hand)1 March 20224,8741 March 20235,3341 March 20246,22828 February 20259,964 The extract numbers held on the specific date of the 11 March each year could not be produced, therefore the data above was taken from 1 March for 2022-2024 and 28 February 2025.

Whether interim financial assistance is available for veterans awaiting a decision on their war pension applications; and what steps are being taken to support those experiencing financial hardship due to prolonged processing times.

Work is underway to tackle the backlog war pension applications pending action, of which has increased in the last few months. The department continually review and evaluate its processes to look for ways to improve and minimise claim processing times. The caseload is subject to constant review and when necessary, steps are taken to target resources to a particular team or work area to expedite the workflow. Please refer to the following table for the current number of pending War Pension applications: DateHolding Data (no of claims on hand)1 March 20224,8741 March 20235,3341 March 20246,22828 February 20259,964 The extract numbers held on the specific date of the 11 March each year could not be produced, therefore the data above was taken from 1 March for 2022-2024 and 28 February 2025.

What assessment his Department has made of the impact of the Strategic Defence Review on employment opportunities for veterans in the Vale of Glamorgan; whether his Department has conducted an evaluation of the adequacy of support available to veterans in the constituency in securing fulfilling careers after leaving the Armed Forces; and what steps his Department is taking to improve access to training, reskilling, and career transition programmes for veterans in the Vale of Glamorgan as part of the Government’s broader defence strategy.

The Strategic Defence Review (SDR) marks a new era for Defence. After years of the UK’s Armed Forces being hollowed out and underfunded, change is essential to ensure the UK remains secure at home and strong abroad, now and for years to come. The SDR process was designed to help the UK be better prepared to fight wars of scale; to be more integrated, more innovative and to help industry be more capable. The Reviewers will soon make their final report and recommendations to the Prime Minister, the Chancellor, and the Defence Secretary. Resettlement services are available to all Regular and Full-Time Reserve Service Personnel leaving the Armed Forces, with employment support and training provided through the Career Transition Partnership (CTP). The CTP, a collaboration between the Ministry of Defence (MOD) and Reed in Partnership, offers comprehensive resettlement support regardless of time served. This partnership has evolved over 25 years to support thus far 310,000 personnel. CTP assists Service leavers in transitioning to civilian life through various services, including skills development workshops, seminars, resettlement training advice, vocational training courses, career consultancy, one-to-one guidance, and job finding support. In Wales, the MOD and CTP work closely with the Devolved Government. A dedicated CTP Employer Relationship Manager in Cardiff promotes the Service leaver talent pool to Welsh employers, creating meaningful employment opportunities. CTP also conducts Career Transition Workshops in Chepstow, Brecon (as needed), and at the Employment Fair in Cardiff, with the next event scheduled for 5 November 2025. MOD resettlement policy and CTP services are continually evaluated to ensure they meet the needs of Service leavers, with improvements made as necessary. The Government is expanding UK-wide career support for the Armed Forces community, ensuring support for all veterans, regardless of when they left service. The careers advice service Op ASCEND offer will include a broader range of job support for veterans, helping more into employment and boosting growth under this Government’s Plan for Change. This service will work with industry bodies to make sure businesses are set up to make the most of the talents veterans have to offer, demonstrating how the Government is renewing the contract with those who serve and have served.

What recent assessment he has made of the impact of the Government’s defence innovation announcements on businesses in St Athan and the wider Vale of Glamorgan.

This Government will lead the way on equipping the UK’s Armed Forces with the best cutting-edge tech by launching a new defence innovation organisation. It will grow high-tech businesses and defence start-ups across the UK – including in the Vale of Glamorgan - enabling them to scale up innovative prototypes rapidly through a clear pathway. The Ministry of Defence recognises the vital importance of the defence industry in the Vale of Glamorgan, and in Wales more widely. The Defence and Technology Exploitation Programme, for example, has funded Raplas Technologies, based in the Vale of Glamorgan. Companies like Raplas Technologies both across Wales and the wider UK will benefit from this announcement and a more innovative and resilient defence sector.

What assessment he has made of the potential impact of increasing defence spending to 2.5% of GDP on (a) security and (b) resilience in Vale of Glamorgan constituency.

The increase in defence spending will fund critical investments in areas like autonomous systems, AI, cyber, rebuilding stockpiles and munition reserves, and therefore will support the security and resilience of the whole of the UK, including the Vale of Glamorgan. The full details will be set out in the Strategic Defence Review. I would like to place on record my thanks to people in the Vale of Glamorgan for their service to our nation and for their support for our national security.

What steps he is taking to support (a) defence and (b) aerospace innovation in Vale of Glamorgan constituency.

The Ministry of Defence (MOD) recognises the vital importance of the defence and aerospace industry in the Vale of Glamorgan, and in Wales more widely.The Defence and Security Accelerator has a dedicated Innovation Partner in Wales and is supporting a number of projects with innovative small and medium-sized enterprises. The Defence Technology Exploitation Programme, for example, has funded Raplas Technologies, based in the Vale of Glamorgan who specialise in 3D printing applications within defence. While the MOD does not allocate spending to specific nations and regions in the UK, MOD spending in Wales totalled £914 million in 2023-24, equivalent to £290 per person.The Defence Industrial Strategy will set out how we will prioritise and support businesses to create a more innovative and resilient defence sector across the UK, including in Wales.

What steps his Department plans to take to increase defence procurement from UK startups in the the (a) cybersecurity, (b) AI, (c) quantum computing and (d) other emerging technology sectors.

The Ministry of Defence is bringing forward a new Defence Industrial Strategy (DIS) that will ensure that the imperatives of national security and a high-growth economy are aligned. Through the DIS we are considering how to better support small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), reduce barriers and set the conditions that unlock the full potential of SMEs to innovate at pace and seize future opportunities. The Government recently announced plans to launch a new hub to provide SMEs better access to the defence supply chain, and committed to set direct SME spending targets for the Ministry of Defence by June this year. Technology will be at the heart of the new DIS. As part of a defence innovation drive, the Government will promote investment in defence start-ups and scale-up technology and capability, including through the National Security Strategic Investment Fund.