Vigilance can report that a powerful Ministerial Committee to ensure that the Government delivers promises made under the Armed Forces Covenant will be set up as part of a cross-Government effort to keep the interests of Service Personnel at the heart of the nation. The committee, led by Oliver Letwin, Minister for Government Policy, will oversee this work and ensure that momentum is maintained. Last week the Prime Minister announced his intention to be personally involved; he will chair the inaugural meeting of the committee in the New Year.
Defence Secretary, Philip Hammond confirmed the arrangements already announced by the PM earlier in the week as he delivered an interim report on the Armed Forces Covenant to Parliament today. The report outlines the progress the Government has made on upholding previous pledges the Government made in May 2010 as part of its desire to repair the Armed Forces Covenant.
According to an MoD source the new committee will work closely with the Covenant Reference Group which is made up of charities and families federations to raise issues on behalf of Service Personnel, their families and veterans.
Prime Minister David Cameron said: "Our Armed Forces do so much to keep us safe. That's why this government has enshrined the Military Covenant in law. This new Committee is about doing more to make the Covenant work - making sure that throughout their daily lives our troops, their families and veterans get all the help and support they need and in the coming year, I will make sure that we deliver."
The interim report also outlines additional areas of work being undertaken to ensure military personnel are not disadvantaged by the service of their country.
Vigilance learnt that this interim report is additional to the legal requirement placed on the Defence Secretary to deliver an annual Armed Forces Covenant Report. This statutory requirement, which was enshrined in law by the Armed Forces Act, will come into effect next year.
It should be noted that since May 2010, the Government has fulfilled a number of pledges made to repair the Military Covenant, including:
- The doubling of the tax free Operational Allowance;
- Improving Rest and Recuperation leave for those on operations;
- Endorsed the proposals for improving mental health care and provision of prosthetics;
- Delivered a scheme to provide scholarships to bereaved Service children;
- Delivered more help for those leaving the Services to go on to higher/further education;
- Introduced the Pupil Premium for the children of those currently serving currently £200 per child, rising to £250 in 2012-13.) in addition, we have provided further funding of £3M per year for state schools with Service children (including those of reservists), to help offset the impact of deployed service;
- Announced a Community Covenant scheme supported by a £30m Community Covenant fund - nearly £1m of funding was released after the first batch of bids were received in September;
- Doubled Council Tax Relief for those on eligible operations overseas.
- Launched a veterans’ information service to provide support on health issues including mental health;
- Working with Credit Reference Agencies to ensure Service people are not disadvantaged by mobility requirements in accessing credit.
Vigilance’s Defence team gathered that the full Armed Forces Covenant report will consider the delivery of services to our Armed Forces in the areas of housing, education and healthcare and the operation of inquests, as well as other areas that the Secretary of State judges to be appropriate. The Department is also required to consider where Service Personnel may be disadvantaged in accessing public and commercial products and where special treatment may be justified and set out his response to these issues.
Defence Secretary, Philip Hammond said: “The cross-government Ministerial Committee will give a voice to, and act as champion of, Armed Forces and veterans’ issues to ensure Government is joined up when providing vital services for Armed Forces personnel. It is something that was recommended in the interim Covenant Report and its implementation shows the Government listens to those who work tirelessly on behalf of the men and women of our Armed Forces, their families and veterans.”
Hammond added: “The interim report shows the hard work the Government has put into delivering its promises to troops both at home and those deployed on operations. However the work will not stop there, as even more effort is being put into delivering support for our service personnel to ensure they are not disadvantaged in any way by their military service.”
The interim Armed Forces Covenant Annual Report has been compiled in consultation with the Covenant Reference Group, which is made up of officials across Government, Service charities and Families’ Federations. The Government has committed itself to publishing, alongside the annual report, any observations which the external members of the group might have
In a related development a regional network of support groups to help military veterans get access to local services has been launched and forms part of the Government’s wider commitment to the Armed Forces Covenant.
A source at the MoD revealed that thirteen groups have been created across the UK, staffed by former service personnel, to give advice to veterans about the range of services available to them. This could be anything from helping a veteran get specialist medical care to assistance for a widow to claim a pension.
The groups, called Veterans Advisory and Pensions Committees (VAPCs), support the Government’s pledge to enshrine the Armed Forces Covenant in law and ensure service personnel and veterans are not disadvantaged.
After a successful one-year pilot scheme, the (VAPCs) will now be permanently established. They will help deliver better services to ex-Service personnel by providing advice to veterans, Health Authorities, Local Government and charities on issues affecting veterans at a local level.
Each VAPC is made up of a chairman and between 12 and 20 unpaid volunteer members drawn from the local ex-service community. The committees aim to:
Give a regional focus providing advice, assistance and support to the Service and ex-Service community and local public service providers.
· Advise all public bodies on the needs of veterans and their families.
· Raise awareness of veterans’ needs with public bodies and the local community.
· Assist and provide guidance on accessing public services, and assisting with claims and complaints (including War Pension and Armed Forces Compensation Schemes).
The Minister for Defence Personnel, Welfare and Veterans, Andrew Robathan said: “The Government is committed to supporting the whole of the Armed Forces community, including veterans and service families. The Veterans Advisory and Pensions Committees give us assurances that Government policies designed to help former service personnel are being delivered across the country.
Robathan added: The committees embody the principles of the Government’s Military Covenant and play a vital role in developing relationships and agreements with regional organisations to enhance the services delivered to veterans and their families. They also provide crucial support to individual veterans, particularly those who are vulnerable.”
Stephen Coltman OBE, Chairman of the South West VAPC, served in the Army for 36 years. Having worked for the British Limbless Ex-Service Men's Association (BLESMA) for seven years, he volunteered to join the Eastern War Pensions Committee, then transferred to the South West and became Chairman of the VAPC in 2010, to continue helping ex-Servicemen & women & their families.
Mr Coltman said: “With my background in the Army's Welfare field and working for BLESMA, I have a lot of experience in helping those that are seriously wounded. I know that life outside the Services can be difficult for some as they make that adjustment so I felt I and my Committee could help.
The South West VAPC has extensive relations with the Armed Forces in the SW, the major Local Authorities and NHS Trusts along with the Department for Work and Pensions’ Pensions Service and Department of Employment Job Centre Forces Champions.”
The VAPCs have worked closely with the Service Personnel and Veterans Agency (SPVA), the MOD organisation that delivers personnel, pensions and welfare to members of the Armed Forces and veterans.
The VAPCs have independently monitored the service the SPVA provides by accompanying welfare managers in visits to clients and acting as an independent complaints panel. Jon Parkin, Head of Veterans Service at SPVA, said: “Having worked closely with the VAPCs over the last year I am delighted that they have been the green light as they will be a major driver improving the service delivered to veterans.”
The Confederation of Service Charities (COBSEO) and all the principal service charities have contributed to the review.
Tom Frizell, Chairman Of the Wales VAPC, is a former soldier with 38 years service. He volunteered to join the Wales VAPC after his service to help others who had had to leave service through injury or illness. Mr Frizell said: “As a veteran myself I have experience of what ex-service personnel need and know it can be difficult to come to terms with living on civvy street. As a committee we have helped many veterans. One former soldier who had fallen ill as result of an injury in service did not realise he was entitled to claim a pension which we helped him obtain. On another occasion a veteran suffering mental health problems was successfully put in touch with the appropriate medical help to lead a normal life.
John Davies MBE, Chairman of the Northern Ireland VAPC, joined the Royal Air Force in 1965. Following almost 28 years service, he left the Royal Air Force in August 1992 to take up an appointment with the Royal Air Forces Association as Director Northern Ireland, a post he held until he retired from his professional life in April 2010.
John has been a Member of the Northern Ireland Veterans Advisory and Pensions Committee and its forerunner, the War Pensions Committee, since January 1993 and was Vice-Chairman from 2000 to 2004; he was appointed Chairman in July 2004. Mr Davies said: “With many years of experience with the wider service community, both in and out of uniform, it was a natural step for me to become closely involved with the local Veterans Advisory and Pensions Committee. My colleagues within the VAPC in Northern Ireland also have a widespread background in caring for both service personnel and veterans, as such, as a team we network effectively within the local community and work closely with a number of statutory and voluntary bodies to ensure the needs of these individuals are met.”
David McGrath, chairman of East of Scotland VAPC is a former Army Officer and Company Director with 54 years combined experience in both fields. Mr McGrath said: “Having been lucky enough to have enjoyed both a service a civilian career, I decided that it was time to ‘give something back’, and in the first instance became a SSAFA Forces Help Caseworker. Whilst performing in this role I soon realised that for every veteran/family helped, there were lots more in similar circumstances who were unaware of the assistance available to them, despite regular media campaigns. When I was made aware of the committees’ existence via last year’s recruitment campaign, I saw this as an ideal opportunity to make a difference. To date our particular committee has been able to help several veterans, in one way or another.”