The Department welcomed Lord Ashcroft's report on the review of the Armed Forces transition process. The report made 43 distinct recommendations; many are now in place either in full or in part. In response to his specific recommendations on an Armed Forces Champion in Northern Ireland, the Northern Irish Government announced last year that from April 2015, Local Authorities will nominate both a non-elected official and a councillor to membership of the Reserve Forces and Cadets Association in Northern Ireland. The latter will also act as a local Veterans Champion.<\/p>
In addition, the relationship between the Northern Ireland Aftercare Service and the Veterans Welfare Service has been strengthened and close working links developed with The Royal British Legion, Soldiers', Sailors' and Airmen's Families Association, Combat Stress and key charities in Northern Ireland.<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/3938", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Anna Soubry"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Broxtowe"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Anna Soubry"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2015-01-26", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2015-01-26T17:05:02.25Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "11"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Defence"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Defence"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2015-01-21", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Veterans: Northern Ireland"} , "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 response he has made to the recommendation in the Veterans Transition Review, published on 11 February 2014, that security-vetted armed forces champions should be appointed in Northern Ireland.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/650", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Sir Jeffrey M Donaldson"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Lagan Valley"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Mr Jeffrey M. Donaldson"} ], "uin" : "221490"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/100680", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Ministry of Defence"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/100680/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
No service leavers who reside in Northern Ireland have benefitted from the Scheme as Northern Ireland was classified as an overseas location.<\/p>
<\/p>
However, I am pleased to say that action is in hand to amend the legislation governing the Scheme to extend provision to Northern Ireland service leavers. We anticipate this coming into effect from September 2015.<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/3938", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Anna Soubry"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Broxtowe"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Anna Soubry"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2014-10-28", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "groupedQuestionUIN" : {"_value" : "211683"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2014-10-28T17:54:21.2904943Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "11"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Defence"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Defence"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2014-10-23", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Veterans: Northern Ireland"} , "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, how many service leavers resident in Northern Ireland have received further and higher educational support under the Service Leavers Scheme funded by his Department.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/650", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Sir Jeffrey M Donaldson"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Lagan Valley"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Mr Jeffrey M. Donaldson"} ], "uin" : "211681"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/100682", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Ministry of Defence"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/100682/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
No service leavers who reside in Northern Ireland have benefitted from the Scheme as Northern Ireland was classified as an overseas location.<\/p>
<\/p>
However, I am pleased to say that action is in hand to amend the legislation governing the Scheme to extend provision to Northern Ireland service leavers. We anticipate this coming into effect from September 2015.<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/3938", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Anna Soubry"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Broxtowe"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Anna Soubry"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2014-10-28", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "groupedQuestionUIN" : {"_value" : "211681"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2014-10-28T17:54:21.1498379Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "11"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Defence"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Defence"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2014-10-23", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Veterans: Northern Ireland"} , "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, for what reason Northern Ireland is defined as an overseas location for the purposes of offering further and higher educational support under the Service Leavers Scheme.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/650", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Sir Jeffrey M Donaldson"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Lagan Valley"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Mr Jeffrey M. Donaldson"} ], "uin" : "211683"} ], "itemsPerPage" : 10, "page" : 0, "startIndex" : 1, "totalResults" : 3, "type" : ["http://purl.org/linked-data/api/vocab#ListEndpoint", "http://purl.org/linked-data/api/vocab#Page"]} }