Guidance

VAPC London: meeting minutes 13 December 2023

Updated 22 March 2024

Venue: Barclays Rise, 41 Luke Street, London EC2A 4DP with some members joining using Microsoft Teams

Time: 4pm to 5.30pm

Present

• Robin Herzberg (FRH) – Chairman
• Bishnu Gurung (BG)
• Carl Stephen Patrick Hunter OBE (CSPH)
• Charles Perrett (CP)
• Alpa Raja (AR)
• Larry Stone (LS)
• Brian Willmore (BW)
• Alex Woolgar-Toms (AWT)
• Frances Luczyc Wyhowska (FLW)

Apologies

• Jim Blake (JB)
• Caroline Flynn Macleod (CFM)
• Annabel Goulding (AG)

Welcome

The chairman welcomed everyone to the meeting.

Apologies for absence

It was noted that JB, AG, BG and FLW had been unable to attend.

Minutes of 27 September 2023 meeting

The minutes, which had been circulated, were approved and were ready to be sent to the Ministry of Defence for publication.

Action: FRH

Matters arising

There were no matters arising.

London VAPC report to the minister

FRH reported that the VAPC chairs had met with the Minister for Defence People, Veterans and Service Families, Andrew Murrison, on 8 November 2023. Key points discussed during the meeting were as follows: (i) We will receive a detailed response to our report in due course once it has been fully reviewed by the minister’s team (ii) VAPCs will have a “purpose” going forward. The minister said that our purpose will be ”to be the eyes and ears of the minister” (iii) There continues to be a live debate about to which government department the VAPCs should report viz the MOD or the Office of Veterans’ Affairs (iv) A working group will be established to deal with these issues and to provide input to the drafting of the Statutory Instruments needed to implement the provisions in the VAPC Act 2023.

Private members bill

FRH confirmed that, as already reported at the last meeting, the Private Members Bill, intended to increase the responsibilities of VAPCs to cover all aspects of veteran welfare, had received Royal assent, as the VAPC Act 2023, on 18 September 2023.

Review of welfare provisions for veterans

FRH reported that the Government had published a high-level response to the independent review of UK Government welfare services for veterans on 21 November 2023. The key points were: (i) Veterans welfare services will be refreshed following the Veterans Welfare Review, including provision of an improved Veterans Gateway (ii) The Government will confirm that it accepts most of the recommendations from the independent review (iii) The Veterans UK brand will be retired, with services and responsibilities across government clarified (iv) The Veterans Advisory and Pensions Committees, will be modernised to better support veterans welfare. The Government will work to clarify the role of VAPCs in a way that can better serve the Armed Forces Community.

AWT observed that in a further announcement on 11 December 2023 the Government had announced that a new board would be established to monitor the delivery of welfare services and to act as a vehicle to set key performance indicators and monitor delivery and outcomes.

FLW reported that a veteran, with whom she was in touch, had experienced considerable difficulty contacting the Veterans Welfare Service. It was agreed that FRH and FLW would follow this up at a forthcoming meeting with that organization.

Strategy development

LS reported that the strategy development work being led by Stewart Blackburn, chair of the Eastern VAPC, remained on hold pending the outcome of various government reviews etc.

Performance data

AWT reported on an online meeting which he had attended on 24 November 2023 to consider the data relating to the War Pensions Scheme (WPS) and the Armed Forces Compensation Scheme (AFCS). WPS relates to injury, illness or death before 6 April 2005 and AFCS relates to injury, illness or death after that date. He reported that, while there had been concern over significant increases in the number of claims on hand in recent months, the MOD were planning to implement actions that should make a real difference.

AWT had asked MOD to investigate several matters including whether old claims were holding up progress on new claims. This was of particular concern in the context that a high proportion of claims under the AFCS scheme were from serving personnel.

Reports from the teams

FRH reported that there had been no meetings of the employment and transitioning common interest group since the last meeting of the London VAPC.

Working with the Greater London Authority and London boroughs

BW reported he was intending to establish a working group which would (i) make contact and build relationships with selected London Boroughs and (ii) undertake an assessment to establish of the strengths and weaknesses of veteran welfare provision in those boroughs and (iii) consider whether members of the London VAPC could help address any skill gaps in those boroughs. BW asked for volunteers to assist him with this work (FRH and LS agreed to help).

CP agreed to contact the London Reserve Forces and Cadets Association to obtain an up-to-date list of Armed Forces Champions within the London Boroughs.

Working with charities

FRH reported on recent meetings with Ally Musthan, divisional secretary for central, north, and east London at the Soldiers’, Sailors’ and Airmen’s Families Association (‘SSAFA’), and with Megan Levin, Public Policy Manager, at the Royal British Legion.

FLW reported on recent meetings with Sally Coulthard of the Defence Gardens Scheme, which provides nature-based therapy to veterans, and with Anna Baker-Cresswell of High Ground, which helps veterans who want to develop outdoor careers.

Working with Greater London Reserve Forces and Cadets Association

CP advised that the London VAPC should maintain contact with the Greater London Reserve Forces and Cadets Association (‘GLRFCA’) to keep them abreast of our activities.

Member recruitment

FRH reported that following a recent member recruitment campaign, an assessment panel consisting of Brigadier Hugh Robertson, Anne DaRocha (from the Veterans Welfare Service) and himself had interviewed two candidates. The panel has made recommendations to the minister, and we await his decision.

FRH reported that the three-year appointments of ten members of the London VAPC would be completed in Spring 2024.  The MOD was currently considering options, but it is likely that ministers will be advised to consider offering one-year extensions to existing appointments. This would be subject to (i) completion of a self-assessment form (ii) sign-off of the form by the VAPC chair and (iii) the minister deciding to make the extension.

Any other business

FLW reported that she hoped to arrange a meeting with the French Air Attache to discuss veterans’ affairs.

Date of the next meeting

It was agreed that the next meeting would take place at 4pm on 20 March 2024 at Barclays Rise or by video conference.