Local MP Welcomes Consultation on Armed Forces Welfare

Local MP Welcomes Consultation on Armed Forces Welfare

Local MP, Madeleine Moon, is encouraging members of Bridgend's service community to have their say in a Government consultation designed to look at more ways to improve the welfare support given to the Armed Forces and their families.
The MoD published a Green Paper, "The Nation's Commitment to the Armed Forces Community: Consistent and Enduring Support" on July 16th.

It will look at how to prevent Service personnel and their families being disadvantaged due to their unique circumstances in accessing public services such as housing, education and healthcare. It will also look to provide them with tailored routes through which to address complaints.

The consultation follows the publication in July 2008 of the Service Personnel Command Paper, which set out more than 40 measures to improve the lives of the Armed Forces community. Among the measures already delivered by the Service Personnel Command Paper are:

• Doubled compensation for the most serious injuries;
• Free further education for Service leavers
• Help for Forces leavers to get on the housing ladder; and
• Established specialist mental health treatment centres for veterans.

Options in the Green Paper include creation of a Charter for the Armed Forces community, exploring the value of a legal duty being placed on public bodies, and an Armed Forces hotline to help Service personnel and their families make complaints if they are dissatisfied with the public services they receive. The consultation will seek views from the Armed Forces and their families, Service charities and the public, as well as service providers.

Madeleine said:

"Our Servicemen and women do a difficult, complex and vital job on behalf of us all. They work in the most challenging of climates and terrains to keep this country and its citizens safe and to bring relief in a variety of humanitarian and reconstruction task forces."

"There is strong public support for our military personnel and their families. This consultation is about ensuring that the right systems are in place to protect them and their families, now and in the future."

Defence Minister Kevan Jones said:

"Our Armed Forces are the best in the world and it is our duty to ensure that we do everything we can to support them and their families. The Service Personnel Command Paper we published last July has delivered some real benefits and will continue to do so over the coming years. This Green Paper will look at how we can ensure the principles of the Service Personnel Command Paper are permanently upheld across all levels of Government. I am confident that this consultation process will help us to deliver even more real and lasting improvements for the Armed Forces community."

For further information please contact Madeleine Moon on 01656 750002