Kevan Jones MP, joined the MOD as the Under Secretary of State for Defence and Minister for Veterans in October 2008. VeteransWORLD was one of the first to interview him, gaining an insight to his thoughts, aspirations and plans for the Veterans Community in 2009.

Minister, how would you define your role as the Minister for Veterans?

I feel both privileged and excited by this appointment. As Minister for Veterans my portfolio includes a wide range of issues; both Departmental and cross-Government – add to that the people focus of my job and you can see why I feel fortunate to be here. It’s my job to make sure our veterans get the best possible support from both the public and private sectors. To achieve this, generating the right policies is important and that’s the job of us here in the MOD. But equally important is making sure that veterans get the things they are entitled to. That’s down to the Service Personnel and Veterans Agency (SPVA), who provide a Free Helpline 0800 169 2277 that acts as a signpost for over 1,000 calls per day; directing enquiries to the government, charitable or ex-Service organisations – whoever is best placed to help.

Support… Transition…Recognition…

We have to remember that supporting veterans falls across a number of Government Departments. So to make the policies stick, I chair two cross-cutting groups – the Veterans Task Force and Veterans Forum– and also participate in the Ministerial Committee on Homelessness. My officials also work closely with other Departments and the voluntary sector to deliver a wide range of additional assistance for veterans.

Of course, support is only one strand of the Veterans Strategy. It is equally important to ensure a smooth transition of our military personnel to civilian life - if we get that right, then we can offer greater levels of support to those who really need it.

Finally, I want to make sure that our veterans receive the recognition that they deserve, not only for their service, but also for their continuing contribution to our communities. I’m always impressed when veterans and serving people get together, you can see that instant bond and the stories soon start flowing. So it’s great news that we’re following on from the success of Veterans Day, by rolling out the first Armed Forces Day in 2009. This will enable the public to celebrate with all our Service personnel; past, present and future – and continue to give us that vital link across the generations.

What are your priorities for 2009?twidal

In 2008, the Report of Inquiry into the National Recognition of our Armed Forces (NRS) was presented to Parliament. The report looked at a wide range of ways in which the Government, MOD and the public could improve the lives of those who serve and have served in our Armed Forces. The Government welcomed its findings and have already commissioned the Service Personnel Command Paper on the conditions of service and quality of life of our Armed Forces.

The groundbreaking Paper places significance on a cross-departmental strategy to support the Armed Forces community. It calls on all Departments to demonstrate their commitment to our Armed Forces and underpin the findings of the NRS. I think it is clear that the delivery of these initiatives will be my highest priority for 2009.

Achieving this will require cross- Government action – so we have set up Advocates in other Government Departments, and the Devolved Administrations of Scotland and Wales; to provide a focus for the work required and to actively take the initiatives forward. Other important initiatives include the current projects on homelessness and mental health. The Ministry of Justice has also agreed to conduct a survey of the prison population in 2009 to determine the numbers of ex-Service personnel and their distribution within the prison system. This will allow us to target our resources and to offer support in those areas where it is most needed. I mentioned Armed Forces Day earlier which will incorporate its highly successful predecessor Veterans Day, that was introduced 2006. By including the Armed Forces in this celebration we hope to further increase the public support and
recognition of our Service personnel, past, present and future. It is of course vital not to lose focus on all our work with the ex Service organisations and I shall be considering how we can better coordinate our efforts.

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