‘New deal needed to improve lives of armed forces’
WELSH Conservatives are today calling for a “new deal” for the armed forces in Wales to improve the lives of servicemen and women and veterans throughout the nation.
Earlier this year the Welsh Government rejected calls for the appointment of an Armed Forces Commissioner on the grounds that the post would require funding of around £550,000 a year that would divert resources from practical services.
But the Welsh Tories will today renew their demand for a dedicated commissioner and also push for extra cash for schools where children of armed forces members study.
Other proposals include:
■ reviewing and increasing funding for Veterans NHS Wales;
■ increasing provision of supported housing for vulnerable veterans;
■ establishing an employment scheme for service leavers, veterans and reservists;
■ ensuring that all of Wales’ civic war memorials are adequately maintained.
Welsh Conservative leader Andrew RT Davies made the case for extra funding for schools, saying: “We know that service personnel move around the country. We know that Wales historically, and currently and in the future, has played host to many servicemen and women and their families, but obviously moving around on assignment and postings means that there are special requirements and additional demands placed on the school in the locality.
“Other parts of the [country have] adopted this pupil premium [and] we believe it’s high time Wales caught up and achieved the same sort of playing field.”
Peter Evans, campaigns manager for the Royal British Legion in Wales, said: “We have long campaigned for additional support for mental health treatment in Wales along with a service pupil premium for Wales, which we continue to call for, despite the welcomed recent investment from Welsh Government to support good practice in schools.”
Mr Davies said an Armed Forces Commissioner would could identify services that were not performing well and hold “feet to the fire” as well as sharing best practice.
Stressing the importance of the armed forces in Wales, he said: “We have about 5% of the population of the United Kingdom, yet historically we’ve provided about 9-10% of the service personnel that the armed forces have required for the year.”
Plaid Cymru Westminster leader Liz Saville Roberts said: “The UK spends a great deal of money on training young people for combat; it is surely only right that just as much effort should be put into supporting veterans through the step-change from military to civilian life.
“Veteran support must be provided on a cross-departmental basis and across the boundaries of devolution. The work of the Ministry of Defence must be integrated with the work of the NHS, the criminal justice system and the voluntary sector.”
A Welsh Government spokesperson said, “We are already delivering a wide range of support to serving personnel, their families and to those that have served in the armed forces.
“The Cabinet Secretary recently reaffirmed his commitment to continue to do everything possible to ensure the needs of our armed services community are fully met.”