{ "format" : "linked-data-api", "version" : "0.2", "result" : {"_about" : "http://eldaddp.azurewebsites.net/answeredquestions.text?min-date=2018-05-17&min-answer.questionFirstAnswered.=2020-11-02T11%3A07%3A24.103Z&max-date=2021-03-15&hansardHeading=Armed+Forces+Covenant", "definition" : "http://eldaddp.azurewebsites.net/meta/answeredquestions.text?min-date=2018-05-17&min-answer.questionFirstAnswered.=2020-11-02T11%3A07%3A24.103Z&max-date=2021-03-15&hansardHeading=Armed+Forces+Covenant", "extendedMetadataVersion" : "http://eldaddp.azurewebsites.net/answeredquestions.text?min-date=2018-05-17&min-answer.questionFirstAnswered.=2020-11-02T11%3A07%3A24.103Z&max-date=2021-03-15&_metadata=all&hansardHeading=Armed+Forces+Covenant", "first" : "http://eldaddp.azurewebsites.net/answeredquestions.text?_page=0&min-date=2018-05-17&min-answer.questionFirstAnswered.=2020-11-02T11%3A07%3A24.103Z&max-date=2021-03-15&hansardHeading=Armed+Forces+Covenant", "hasPart" : "http://eldaddp.azurewebsites.net/answeredquestions.text?min-date=2018-05-17&min-answer.questionFirstAnswered.=2020-11-02T11%3A07%3A24.103Z&max-date=2021-03-15&hansardHeading=Armed+Forces+Covenant", "isPartOf" : "http://eldaddp.azurewebsites.net/answeredquestions.text?min-date=2018-05-17&min-answer.questionFirstAnswered.=2020-11-02T11%3A07%3A24.103Z&max-date=2021-03-15&hansardHeading=Armed+Forces+Covenant", "items" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1302349", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Ministry of Defence"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1302349/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "

Supporting the Armed Forces Covenant is a key priority and the Government has introduced legislation, as part of the Armed Forces Bill, further incorporating the Armed Forces Covenant into law. The legislation introduces a duty of due regard to the Covenant principles on local public bodies, in key areas of health, housing, and education.<\/p>

<\/p>

The Armed Forces Covenant Annual Report, published each December, outlines progress we have made as a nation to strengthen the Covenant across the UK.<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4485", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Johnny Mercer"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Plymouth, Moor View"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Johnny Mercer"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2021-03-15", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2021-03-15T16:02:26.913Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "11"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Defence"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Defence"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2021-03-15", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Armed Forces Covenant"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"} } ], "questionText" : "What recent steps he has taken to improve the Armed Forces Covenant; and if he will make a statement.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4457", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Ms Marie Rimmer"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "St Helens South and Whiston"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Ms Marie Rimmer"} ], "uin" : "913349"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1255892", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Ministry of Defence"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1255892/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "

This Government is committed to making the UK the best place to be a veteran and to do more to ensure that each veteran is valued, contributing and supported. This is why we published the Strategy for our Veterans in November 2018, and its Action Plan in January 2020, and have been working with a range of partners, including those in local Government, to make this vision a reality: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/strategy-for-our-veterans<\/p>

Our commitment to the Armed Forces Covenant has seen tangible progress in 2020, including through the launch of the Veterans Gateway app in May, which provides local information on services available to support veterans. Since signing the Armed Forces Covenant, we have worked closely with Dudley Council through our local liaison officers and the Council now guarantees job interviews to Service leavers and veterans who meet the minimum criteria. All past and serving personnel and their families also qualify for the half price Options Leisure Plus scheme at sports halls, swimming pools and most events at borough halls. In June, the Ministry for Housing, Communities and Local Government published new statutory guidance for local authorities to further improve access to social housing for members of the Armed Forces, veterans and their families.<\/p>

Dudley Council now allows any veteran or Service leaver family applying for social housing to have their service years classed as years spent on its housing waiting list. All four Black Country Local Authorities are participating in the West Midlands working group supporting the Covenant legislation engagement process, ahead of the legislation being introduced to Parliament in the Armed Forces Bill next year.<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4485", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Johnny Mercer"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Plymouth, Moor View"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Johnny Mercer"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2020-12-07", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "previousAnswerVersion" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1255892/answer/previousversion/66762", "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4485", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Johnny Mercer"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Plymouth, Moor View"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Johnny Mercer"} } , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2020-12-07T12:09:30.543Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "11"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Defence"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Defence"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2020-11-26", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Armed Forces Covenant"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what recent assessment he has made of the effectiveness of the Armed Forces Covenant in supporting veterans in (a) Dudley, (b) the Black Country and (c) the UK.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4789", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Marco Longhi"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Dudley North"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Marco Longhi"} ], "uin" : "121387"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1247912", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Ministry of Defence"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1247912/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "

The Director of Armed Forces People Policy wrote to the Chief Executives and Council Leaders of a number of Local Authorities to inform them of the Government\u2019s draft legislative proposal. This was at the request of some regional focus group members, as part of the Ministry of Defence\u2019s (MOD) policy development to further incorporate the Armed Forces Covenant into law. I have placed a copy of this letter in the Library of the House. To date, the MOD has not sent any consultation proposals to Local Authority Chief Executives.<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4485", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Johnny Mercer"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Plymouth, Moor View"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Johnny Mercer"} , "attachment" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1247912/answer/attachment/1", "fileName" : {"_value" : "Letter to LA CE - Covenant Legislation.pdf"} , "title" : "Armed Forces Covenant Legislation"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2020-11-05", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2020-11-05T11:33:06.483Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "11"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Defence"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Defence"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2020-11-02", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Armed Forces Covenant"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 2 November 2020 to Question 106907 on the Armed Forces Covenant, if he will place in the Library a copy of the letter and consultation proposals his Department sent to local authority Chief Executives.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/1438", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Mr Kevan Jones"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "North Durham"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Mr Kevan Jones"} ], "uin" : "110073"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1246315", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Ministry of Defence"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1246315/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "

This Government is committed to introducing legislation to strengthen the Armed Forces Covenant, and it will be brought forward next year in the Armed Forces Bill.<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4485", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Johnny Mercer"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Plymouth, Moor View"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Johnny Mercer"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2020-11-02", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2020-11-02T11:07:24.103Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "11"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Defence"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Defence"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2020-10-22", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Armed Forces Covenant"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, when he plans to bring forward proposals to implement the Government\u2019s policy on the further incorporation of the Armed Forces Covenant into law.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/1521", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Mrs Sharon Hodgson"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Washington and Sunderland West"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Mrs Sharon Hodgson"} ], "uin" : "107615"} ], "itemsPerPage" : 10, "page" : 0, "startIndex" : 1, "totalResults" : 4, "type" : ["http://purl.org/linked-data/api/vocab#ListEndpoint", "http://purl.org/linked-data/api/vocab#Page"]} }