Westminster Life: Ensuring the best support for our armed forces and veterans
This week I was privileged to spend time learning with the Gurkhas and voted to create the country’s first ever independent Armed Forces Commissioner, writes Andrew Pakes MP for Peterborough.
The first duty of any Government is to keep our country safe, and at the heart of our security are the men and women who risk their lives for our nation.
I am incredibly proud of our Armed Forces and their professionalism and bravery are rightly respected the world over. I know my views are shared across Peterborough. We are rightly a patriotic city.
The Armed Forces Commissioner is a central part of this Government’s plans to renew the nation’s contract with those who bravely serve. The Commissioner will be a direct point of contact for personnel and their families to raise service issues affecting their lives, from kit, to housing, to childcare.
We want the independent Commissioner to have proper powers to investigate issues affecting service life, make recommendations, and report to Parliament. And to have access to personnel, information, and to defence sites. And we want them to hold us to account, too.
At the same time as the Armed Forces Commissioner bill passed its third reading, I was honoured to welcome Peterborough’s own Armed Forces Champion, Councillor Jason McNally, to Westminster alongside his son Alfie who is just about to start his own service in the Army. It is a privilege to showcase Peterborough in Parliament with visits like this. Jason and Alfie were welcomed by Veterans Minister Al Cairns MP and Armed Forces Minister Luke Pollard MP who discussed plans about how we can improve support for forces families.
I’m also part of the Armed Forces Parliamentary Scheme which gives me an opportunity to meet and learn alongside serving men and women around the country. Last week, I had the privilege to spend time with the Queen’s Own Gurkha Logistic Regiment in Aldershot, and learn even more about our Army, and the dedicated soldiers that make it all possible. The Armed Forces Parliamentary Scheme is an annual scheme that allows Parliamentarians to get up close and get to know the work of our Armed Forces. Despite the many challenges they face, the serving personnel I meet come to work every day to keep up all safe. We owe them so much.
Councillor McNally – with help from Councillor John Fox and others – are also working to reboot the Armed Forces Covenant in Peterborough. We already have so many great businesses and organisations that support veterans, but we also know that support is often patchy. Together with the Ministry of Defence, we want more businesses signed up to the Covenant so that those who have served get the help they deserve.
I will always be a champion for our armed forces and veterans. It is part of my DNA and the values we represent as a working city. If you would like to get involved in our work around the Armed Forces Covenant please get in touch on [email protected].