As we watch the horror of Ukraine unfold it is a reminder of the incredible courage of all those who risk their lives fighting for their country’s freedom.
Here in the UK, every one of us owes a huge debt of gratitude to the brave men and women of our Armed Forces. Many of them will be left struggling with life-changing injuries and illness, both mental and physical, from their experiences in service.
The very least we should expect from government is that injured veterans and their families will be properly looked after and given the support they need.
Unfortunately, it seems this is not always the case.
When a constituent first told me about his poor experience with Veterans UK – the arm of the Ministry of Defence that deals with War Pensions and the Armed Forces Compensation Scheme - I thought it was probably an unusual case, rather than a problem with the system.
But when I dug a little deeper I soon learned this was the tip of a very large iceberg.
Thousands of injured veterans report similar frustrations trying to navigate a long, laborious, and unclear system that they feel is rigged against them, instead of working for them.
It's a scandal that veterans struggling with severe post-traumatic stress disorder, from traumas they suffered in the line of duty, find their mental health is made worse by a complex battle with bureaucracy,
In some cases this leaves them at risk of suicide.
The process seems designed to deny claims, to save money rather than serve our veterans well. This is not good enough and it is time that something was done to improve the transparency and the fairness of the system.
This is why I called for the debate in parliament which will take place on Monday 28.
I am asking for an impartial inquiry to look into these issues and listen to veterans, not sweep their concerns under the carpet.
Not a single soldier, sailor, airman or woman should be left in poverty or face lengthy battles to get the support they need.
It’s time we gave veterans the respect they deserve."
