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Ministers questioned on Armed Forces Bill

23 March 2021

The Select Committee on the Armed Forces Bill session first focuses on veterans’ healthcare and will likely include questions on mental health provisions. The Committee then focuses on the provisions within the Armed Forces Bill and may look at potential inequities in the enforcement of the duty of due regard and the continued jurisdiction of the Court Martial in serious offences. This is the final evidence session before the Committee begins line-by-line scrutiny of the Bill. 

Witnesses

Wednesday 24 March, virtual meeting

At 9.30am

  • Nadine Dorries MP, Minister of State for Mental Health, Suicide Prevention and Patient Safety
  • William Vineall, Director and Chair of the Armed Forces Partnership Board, Department of Health and Social Care
  • Kate Davies CBE, Director of Health and Justice, Armed Forces and Sexual Assault Referral Centres, NHS England
  • Dr Jonathan Leach, Armed Forces Clinical Lead, NHS England
  • Professor Jason Leitch, National Clinical Director, Scottish Government
  • Dr Fiona Jenkins MBE, Veterans Lead and Executive Director for Therapies and Health Science, Cardiff and Vale University Health Board and Interim Executive Director for Therapies and Health Science, Cwm Taf Morgannwg Health Board

At 10.15am

  • Lieutenant General James Swift, Chief of Defence People, Ministry of Defence
  • Helen Helliwell, Director Armed Forces People Policy, Ministry of Defence
  • Caron Tassel, Head People Secretariat, Ministry of Defence
  • David Howarth, Head Service Complaints and Justice Transformation, Ministry of Defence
  • Ben Bridge, Head of Legal Advice, Ministry of Defence

At 11.00am

  • Johnny Mercer MP, Minister for Defence People and Veterans, Ministry of Defence and Minister for Veterans’ Affairs, Cabinet Office
  • Damian Paterson, Deputy Director, Office for Veterans’ Affairs

Further information

Image: Parliamentary copyright