HANSARDCommons11 Dec 20232 contributions

Defence

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Maritime Capability Coalition Launch

The Secretary of State for Defence (Grant Shapps)
ConservativeWelwyn Hatfield
I am pleased to inform the House of the UK’s launch of the maritime capability coalition (MCC), alongside Norway, which represents a step change in the UK’s support for Ukraine in both defending against Russia’s illegal and unprovoked invasion and in developing Ukraine’s maritime capabilities for the future.
The MCC will focus on the task of developing a Ukrainian maritime force capable of defending Ukraine’s maritime flank and deterring Russia. This will require our collective effort and resource, including through the provision of training, doctrine, information, infrastructure or the procurement of equipment and ammunition. The future security and prosperity of Ukraine depend upon it.
The MCC initiative reinforces our collective long-term commitment to Ukraine and provides a permanent mechanism through which we can support the development of Ukraine’s maritime capability, ensuring coherence, unity of effort, prioritisation of resource and synchronisation of activity.
The UK and our allies have been clear we will not stand by as the Kremlin persists in its disregard for the sovereignty of Ukraine and international law. This includes the recognition of Ukraine’s sovereignty over its territorial waters which is established in accordance with international maritime law.
The MCC will be UK-led, alongside Norway, but will be international in nature with other nations contributing to the programme.
[HCWS112]

Response to the Independent Review of UK Government Welfare Services for Veterans

The Minister for Defence People and Families (Dr Andrew Murrison)
ConservativeSouth West Wiltshire
I am making this joint statement my behalf and on behalf of the Minister for Veterans’ Affairs, my right hon. Friend the Member for Plymouth, Moor View (Johnny Mercer).
We are pleased to announce the completion and publication of the Government response to the independent review of UK Government welfare services for veterans.
We informed the House on 2 March that we had commissioned a review into the role, scope and breadth of UK Government welfare provision for veterans, including by the Ministry of Defence under the Veterans UK banner. This is the first time these have been considered in the round since the launch of the strategy for our veterans and corresponding veterans strategy action plan, and the creation of the Office for Veterans’ Affairs. On 17 July, we announced in a written statement to the House that this review had been published.
The review made 35 strategic and operational recommendations. The most significant of these include redefining the scope, time and eligibility limitations of Government services so that they are no longer available to all veterans in perpetuity; amending ministerial titles to better distinguish the roles of the MOD and OVA in veterans support; retiring the MOD’s “Veterans UK” branding; exploring greater commissioning of services within and out of Government; and moving the Northern Ireland Veterans’ Support Office into the OVA. These recommendations are supported by a series of proposals concerning improved and co-ordinated communications, and enhanced data collection and sharing.
There are several recommendations in the review that we can confirm we are actively taking forward, including the retirement of the “Veterans UK” branding name in 2024, and the transformation of how we deliver the welfare services that fall under that umbrella. This will enable a more consistent level of service to those accessing support. “Veterans” will be removed from the Minister for Defence People, Veterans and Service Families title, to avoid confusion as to who holds primacy for co-ordinating veterans’ policy across Government. MOD will continue administering service pensions and compensation, transition support and welfare support for those with service-related issues.

Maritime Capability Coalition Launch

The Secretary of State for Defence (Grant Shapps)

ConservativeWelwyn Hatfield

I am pleased to inform the House of the UK’s launch of the maritime capability coalition (MCC), alongside Norway, which represents a step change in the UK’s support for Ukraine in both defending against Russia’s illegal and unprovoked invasion and in developing Ukraine’s maritime capabilities for the future.

The MCC will focus on the task of developing a Ukrainian maritime force capable of defending Ukraine’s maritime flank and deterring Russia. This will require our collective effort and resource, including through the provision of training, doctrine, information, infrastructure or the procurement of equipment and ammunition. The future security and prosperity of Ukraine depend upon it.

The MCC initiative reinforces our collective long-term commitment to Ukraine and provides a permanent mechanism through which we can support the development of Ukraine’s maritime capability, ensuring coherence, unity of effort, prioritisation of resource and synchronisation of activity.

The UK and our allies have been clear we will not stand by as the Kremlin persists in its disregard for the sovereignty of Ukraine and international law. This includes the recognition of Ukraine’s sovereignty over its territorial waters which is established in accordance with international maritime law.

The MCC will be UK-led, alongside Norway, but will be international in nature with other nations contributing to the programme.

[HCWS112]

Response to the Independent Review of UK Government Welfare Services for Veterans

The Minister for Defence People and Families (Dr Andrew Murrison)

ConservativeSouth West Wiltshire

I am making this joint statement my behalf and on behalf of the Minister for Veterans’ Affairs, my right hon. Friend the Member for Plymouth, Moor View (Johnny Mercer).

We are pleased to announce the completion and publication of the Government response to the independent review of UK Government welfare services for veterans.

We informed the House on 2 March that we had commissioned a review into the role, scope and breadth of UK Government welfare provision for veterans, including by the Ministry of Defence under the Veterans UK banner. This is the first time these have been considered in the round since the launch of the strategy for our veterans and corresponding veterans strategy action plan, and the creation of the Office for Veterans’ Affairs. On 17 July, we announced in a written statement to the House that this review had been published.

The review made 35 strategic and operational recommendations. The most significant of these include redefining the scope, time and eligibility limitations of Government services so that they are no longer available to all veterans in perpetuity; amending ministerial titles to better distinguish the roles of the MOD and OVA in veterans support; retiring the MOD’s “Veterans UK” branding; exploring greater commissioning of services within and out of Government; and moving the Northern Ireland Veterans’ Support Office into the OVA. These recommendations are supported by a series of proposals concerning improved and co-ordinated communications, and enhanced data collection and sharing.

There are several recommendations in the review that we can confirm we are actively taking forward, including the retirement of the “Veterans UK” branding name in 2024, and the transformation of how we deliver the welfare services that fall under that umbrella. This will enable a more consistent level of service to those accessing support. “Veterans” will be removed from the Minister for Defence People, Veterans and Service Families title, to avoid confusion as to who holds primacy for co-ordinating veterans’ policy across Government. MOD will continue administering service pensions and compensation, transition support and welfare support for those with service-related issues.