Present

Ivor Caplin MP
Julian Miller
COBSEO Executive Committee
Maj Gen Mike Shellard
Capt Alun Ryle
Cdre Barry Bryant       
Maj Gen Sir Evelyn Webb-Carter
Maj Gen Andrew Cumming
Cdre Toby Elliott
Cdre Martin Macpherson
Cdre Barry Leighton
Debbie Bowles
Sheena Livingstone
COBSEO Advisers
Stuart Haigh
Robert Leader
Other Government Departments
Richard Wendland
Carol Gardner
Roy Goodacre
Kenneth Robbie
David Rowe
Anne Johnston
Alex Johnstone
Alan Nicholson
John Clarke
Ministry of Defence
Malcolm Lingwood
Alan Burnham
Jonathan Iremonger
Dr Anne Braidwood
Mike Sands
Richard Coney
Lt Col Peter Willis

Minister for Veterans
DG SP Pol

Chairman COBSEO
Vice Chairman COBSEO
King George's Fund for Sailors
ABF
SSAFA Forces Help
Combat Stress
FPS
RNA
War Widows Association
Veterans Scotland

RAFA
St Dunstans

ODPM
DWP
HMT
Scotland Office, DCA
FCO
DCA
DfES
Scottish Executive
NI Office

D VPU
CE VA
D SP Pol Pensions
D SP Pol Medical Adviser
DD VPU Veterans
A/Head of DSSec(Sec)
AD VPU Veterans

Chairman

In Attendance

Jeremy Williams
Maj Jo Hodgson

PS/Minister for Veterans
ExO/DG SP Pol

Secretariat

WO Gary Gray

Veterans Projects 3

Apologies

Air Chf Mshl Sir David Cousins
Maj Gen James Gordon
Lt Col Jerome Church
Air Cdre Ed Jarron
Maj Rosemary Warne
Chris Butcher
Paula Kitching
Julie Moore
Paul Woods
Joy Dalkin
Jonquil Dartnall
Samantha Heywood
Lt Gen Anthony Palmer
Cdre Annette Picton
Brigid Rodgers

RAFBF
FPS
BLESMA
RAFA
Secretary COBSEO
LGA
DfES
DCMS
DoH
Home Office
Welsh Office, DCA
IWM
DCDS(Pers)
D Resettlement
DD VPU

1
Minutes and Actions Arising from Last Meeting

1. Welcome.   The Chairman, Ivor Caplin MP, Minister for Veterans, welcomed members to the 6th Veterans Forum and, in particular, gave a warm welcome to those attending the Forum for the first time.  He advised that the focus of the last few weeks had been geared towards arrangements for the 60th Anniversary of the Normandy landings and that a Defence Debate would take place in the House of Commons on 9 June 2004.

2. Minutes of Last Meeting.   The minutes of the meeting on 2 December 2003 were approved unanimously.

3. Matters Arising from Minutes of Last Meeting. 

a. Senior International Forum.  D VPU gave a brief update from the recent Senior International Forum in New Zealand and covered the following areas: development of a protocol to ensure that 2004/05 Anniversaries properly catered for veterans; the interest shown in the UK's Pensions and Compensation review (as many countries are now undertaking similar reviews); continuing exchange of business best practice between veterans administrations; the drafting of a new Memorandum of Understanding to reinforce relations on collaborative research; increasing emphasis on the need to reinforce arrangements for addressing legacy mental health problems associated with operations; and, finally, the wish for further cooperation on dealing with the increased age of veterans' populations.  Minister for Veterans advised that he intended to engage with his international Ministerial colleagues through a Ministerial summit and would involve COBSEO in the programme.

b. MOD Income Generation.   Work continues within MOD to achieve a satisfactory solution on the MOD's Income Generation policy.  An update will be provided at the next Veterans Forum.

c. Decision.   It was decided that D VPU should update the next Veterans Forum on developments with MOD's Income Generation policy.

Malcolm Lingwood
- D VPU

2
Update on Veterans Initiative and Collaborative Projects

1. D VPU advised that the project based structure was settling down and that a review would take place in due course to ensure that it was working well.  A summary of D VPU's update on developments is listed below:

a. Transition.   The Early Leavers scheme is in place and pilot research into mentoring arrangements for vulnerable leavers is underway.

b. Support.   Key areas are support for the elderly and health issues.  We will consider how to progress the work on support to elder veterans as part of the Government's wider work in this area.

c. Recognition.   A significant amount of work is being undertaken focussing on World War II 60th Anniversaries: the Veterans Reunited Programme; commemorative booklets; and a new Veteran's badge.  This work has involved close cooperation with a number of organisations.  The education project is working well although it will be necessary to look at future arrangements post World War II anniversaries.

d. Research.  Progress is being made with research into ex-Service homelessness across the United Kingdom.  CAB research into how it delivers information and advice to veterans is also progressing well.

e. Challenge Fund.  Demand for the Challenge Fund is still building and VPU are working with COBSEO to examine bids and encourage new ones.

2. In summary, D VPU advised that a lot of work is being undertaken and that it would be necessary in the near future to ensure that the work is correctly focussed.  He also advised that we would need to ensure that we engage with Other Government Departments and lock into work on the "Compact" between Government and the voluntary sector.

3. Minister for Veterans advised that he participated in a Ministerial group to discuss mental health and that there was now a strategy that he had contributed to.  A revised health concordat was shortly to be signed as a result of work between MOD and NHS on in-Service medical issues.  Minister for Veterans asked to place on record his thanks to DfES for their contribution to the education project.  The success of the project could not have come about without their enthusiasm and commitment. 

3
Invigorating the Veterans Task Force/Better Involving the Devolved Administrations

1. Minister for Veterans had directed that D VPU should address how the Veterans Task Force could be improved to ensure progress with issues that are important to the Veterans' community.  D VPU advised that preparing an agenda that was capable of stimulating discussion between several Ministers was becoming increasingly difficult.  Therefore, he had recommended to the Minister for Veterans that biannual Task Force meetings should be replaced by an annual Task Force with additional meetings being subject-driven to engage relevant interested parties.  Minister for Veterans had accepted this recommendation and the next Veterans Task Force (24 Jun 04) would focus on Health issues.  The 1st annual Task Force would take place in Jan 05 which would have the aim of agreeing a broad inter-departmental strategy for veterans-related work in the subsequent year.  In parallel with these arrangements, better links will be forged with the DA by increasing their participation in the Veterans Task Force and Forum and increasing bilateral contacts.

2. Minister for Veterans made reference to his forthcoming visits to Cardiff and Edinburgh and advised that he envisaged the revised working methods would bring a better shape to Ministerial meetings.  COBSEO welcomed this development and looked forward to contributing to future meetings.  The OGDs indicated their support for this development.  Minister for Veterans emphasised that these arrangements were not set in stone and they would be kept under review to see if further improvements could be identified.

4
Health Issues

1. D SP Pol Medical Adviser advised that progress was being made in several areas concerning health and that MOD continues to work closely with the DoH, particularly on mental health issues.  DoH was unable to be represented at the meeting.  However, for information purposes, they submitted a paper outlining work in progress.  A copy is at Enclosure 1.  Priority Treatment continues to be discussed with DoH and the DAs and progress is being made.  However, it would appear that the original 1953 legislation did not include Northern Ireland and this is being addressed.  The SEU Mental Health project is about to report and the project will go into implementation mode in the summer.  It is hoped that MOD will be involved in the project work-strand dedicated to cultural issues, stigma and discrimination.

2. Combat Stress welcomed MOD's support and recommended that more focus should be given to in-Service issues as opposed to veterans-related work.  It was essential to involve those in the Service with veterans work as this was a 'through life' issue.  DG SP Pol shared these views and offered a briefing on the additional work that is taking place within MOD.  Furthermore, this point had been reinforced during discussions with the PPOs.  SG would also be invited to the Veterans Task Force on 24 June which will focus on health.

5
Brief on National Memorial Arboretum (NMA)

1. Minister for Veterans gave a warm welcome to Col John Barkshire from the NMA who had been invited to give a presentation to the Forum about the NMA.  Col Barkshire's presentation focussed on 4 specific areas: where is the NMA?; how did it come about?; what does it consist of?; and, what are the plans for the future?

2. Minister for Veterans noted the need for additional publicity and recommended that the VPU and NMA should discuss how this could best be achieved.  COBSEO stated the NMA concept had been a tremendous idea and praised those who had put in a lot of hard work in setting the wheels in motion.  TRBL advised that the aspiration to have an Education Centre at the NMA was a vitally important piece of work as it would enable it to link up with a lot of sites and bring cohesion to the NMA generally.  RNA recommended that the Services should be made more aware of the NMA.

3. Decision.   It was decided that VPU should work alongside the NMA to better publicise the facility.

Malcolm Lingwood
- D VPU

6
Veterans Awareness Week

1. A Veterans Awareness Week will be held in the week preceding the Nation's commemoration of the 60th Anniversary of the end of World War II on 10 Jul 05.  A project team would be established, with TRBL being the 'lead' ex-Service organisation.  The team would work within the VPU and would report regularly to Minister for Veterans.  Whilst initially the focus for the team will be on the 2005 event, their remit would also include long-term planning.  Further work is required on funding issues.  However, money may be made available from the Veterans Challenge Fund and it is hoped that other organisations may hold self-financing events.

2. COBSEO advised that they were encouraged by this good start.  TRBL mentioned that the aims of the week linked closely with the 'Legion in the Community' approach.  Minister for Veterans advised that this subject would be raised during his forthcoming visits to the Devolved Administrations and that there was a need to invigorate the country.  Combat Stress enquired if this was to be an annual event.  D VPU advised that the project team would be tasked with making a recommendation to Minister for Veterans about the long-term viability of holding an annual event.

7
Habitual Residence Test

1. AD VPU Veterans advised that the Ex-Services Action Group on Homelessness had written to the Minister for Veterans expressing their concern, shared by other organisations involved in the welfare of ex-Service personnel, about the Habitual Residence Test and its application to those former Servicemen who settled abroad after leaving the Services and who subsequently returned to the UK after some years. 

2. DWP advised that it was not possible to favour one group over another with the Habitual Residence Test.  However, it may be that a satisfactory conclusion could be reached by making decision-makers more aware of service in Armed Forces through an article in Touchbase (the DWP's internal magazine) and a bulletin to JobCentre Plus.  Minister for Veterans welcomed this helpful statement and noted that this issue was not considered to be a problem at this stage.  He believed that the publicity route should be given the opportunity to work and the situation should be reviewed if problematic cases arose.

3.   Decision.   It was decided that Head of CAT should prepare publicity material for distribution to Touchbase and Jobcentre plus.

Erik Newman
- Head of CAT

8
Any Other Business

1. VA.   CE VA advised that Heroes Return had generated a huge increase of traffic to the VA helpline.  Whilst minor complaints were disappointing, they should be taken in the context of the large increase in traffic.  The maximum number of telephone lines had been made available with helpline staff even making call backs in the evening.  Since the launch of Heroes Return there had been a 42% increase in the number of calls to the VA helpline with an 8% increase in the number of calls lost.  In addition, some 22,000 ID passes had been issued to Veterans travelling to Normandy for the D-Day commemorations.  Additional staff had been recruited with NOF funding.  Market research had indicated that customers were content with the service that they were receiving.

2. COBSEO paid tribute to the way Heroes Return had been administered, noted the tremendous increase in the number of calls to the VA helpline and praised the manner in which publicity material had been disseminated. 

3. Passports.   Minister for Veterans wished to place on record his gratitude to the Home Office for their recent announcement of the expansion of the concessionary passport scheme to enable all those born on or before 2 September 1929 to receive free 10 year-passports in commemoration for their war time efforts.

4. Foreign&Commonwealth Recruits.   AD VPU Veterans raised the matter of enlistment and discharge procedures for Foreign and Commonwealth (F&C) recruits to the Army.  Attached at Enclosure 2 is a summary of the reply he had recently received from the Adjutant General's Secretariat on this matter.

9
Arrangements for Next Meeting

1. The next meeting will take place in the Army and Navy Club on Thursday 9 December 2004 at 1030 hours.

All