Gordon Secures Veterans Support
Following his intervention on behalf of veterans’ mental health with the Prime Minister at PMQs last week, Gordon has secured a pledge from the Prime Minister that the £2 million allocated by the previous (Labour) Government for Combat Stress will not be withdrawn for veterans with mental health needs.
Gordon has received a personal letter from the Prime Minister, supporting his work as Chair of Parliament’s Veterans Group, committing the coalition to support the work of Combat Stress and highlighting the Government’s intention to honour the promise made by the previous Government to commit £2 million to assist veterans with mental health needs.
‘I am pleased that the promise to help veterans with this £2 million grant, made in April by the previous Labour Government, is now being honoured after the Coalition initially put it under review.
After I raised this with him at Prime Minister’s Question Time, David Cameron has responded positively in confirming the grant to Combat Stress. It is a much-needed boost for them in the run-up to this month’s Veterans and Armed Forces Commemorations which we in Blackpool will be marking with large numbers of service personnel and veterans and it will encourage me as Chair of Parliament’s All-Party Veterans Group to continue pressing the Government on veterans’ issues and urging them to maintain the high levels of support under the previous administration.
It ties in well with our next project in the All-Party Group – carrying out an enquiry looking at the needs of men and women who leave the services earlier, sometimes as a result of stress. Those who have done or are doing so much for our country deserve all the recognition and support we can give them.
