Guidance

VAPC London: meeting minutes 14 December 2022

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) – Interim Chairman
• Jim Blake (JB)
• Bishnu Gurung (BG)
• Caroline Flynn Macleod (CFM)
• Carl Hunter (CH)
• Larry Stone (LS)
• Alex Woolgar-Toms (AWT)

Apologies

• Annabel Goulding (AG)
• Nick Mazzei (NM)
• Wendy Morris (WM)
• Matthew Neave (MN)
• Charles Perrett (CP)
• Alpa Raja (AR)
• Brian Willmore (BW)
• Frances Luczyc Wyhowska (FLW)

Welcome

The interim chairman welcomed everyone to the meeting.

Apologies for absence

It was noted that AG, NM, WM, MN, CP, AR, BW and FLW had been unable to attend.

Minutes of 21 September 2022 meeting

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

Action: FRH

London VAPC report to the minister

FRH reported that the London VAPC report to the minister had been submitted in accordance with the timetable on 29 September 2022. In accordance with previous practice, the regional reports had been amalgamated into a national report which was submitted to the minister (along with the regional reports) on 4 November 2022. There were six recommendations in the national report, three of which had come from the London VAPC report.

CH voiced his appreciation for the work that gone into producing the London VAPC report and noted how pleasing it was that London VAPC had made such an important contribution to the national report.

Visit to the AFVS offices at Norcross Lane, Thornton-Cleveleys

FRH reported on his visit, together with the chairs / interim chairs of other VAPCs, to Thornton-Cleveleys on 16 November 2022 where he met Brigadier Caroline Hull, who is head of the Armed Forces and Veterans’ Services (‘AFVS’). On the morning of 17 November 2022, the new Parliamentary Undersecretary of State for Defence People, Veterans and Service Families, Andrew Murrison, had joined the meeting by videoconference. The minister had agreed to consider our report and revert with comments in due course.

FRH reported that Stewart Blackburn, Chair of the Eastern VAPC was establishing a working group to prepare a strategy document for VAPCs. It was agreed to nominate LS for this committee and advise Stewart Blackburn accordingly.

FRH reported that the proposed private members bill, which seeks to widen the statutory functions of VAPCs to cover all aspects relevant to veterans and which is being sponsored by Robin Millar MP, was not well placed in the order of priority among private members bills. However, it was hoped that these matters could be covered in a Defence Reform Bill in 2024 or an Armed Service Bill in 2025.

CFM reported that she was due to meet Robin Millar MP in January 2023.

FRH reported that, where VAPCs were struggling to retain membership, suitable candidates could be co-opted onto the VAPC with a view to them being encouraged to apply for full membership when the MOD completes its next recruitment campaign.

AWT proposed, and it was agreed, that before any candidates be co-opted onto the committee they should (i) meet the chair and (ii) submit a CV which should be circulated to the whole committee for consideration. This would provide a light touch governance approach, pending any centrally formalised process.

FRH reported that Mark Thompson, a two-star civil servant from the Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs, would be conducting a review into the effectiveness of VAPCs.

Report from Alex Page

FRH reported that AR had been into touch with Alex Page, Head of Civil Engagement at London District. Key points from Alex Page were (i) she intends to extract data by borough from the 2021 census to help pinpoint where the veterans are and how we reach out to them (ii) the new Armed Forces Covenant Duty came into force on 22 November and the affected public bodies are now legally obliged to have due regard to the principles of the covenant when exercising specific functions (iii) there will be a fusion event with local councils in February 2023 and (iv) there is now a Department of Work & Pensions Armed Forces Network.

Reports from the teams

FRH reported that the next meeting of the national employment and transitioning subcommittee would take place on 11 January 2023. The guest would be the Dutch Air Attaché, Wing Commander Martine Verhulst, and all members of the London VAPC would be welcome to attend. CFM had already expressed an interest in attending.

FRH reported that FLW had recently conducted visits to the following organisations (i) Stoll, who are a provider of supported housing to veterans (ii) Combat Stress, who had expressed concern about the lack of GP practices signing up as veteran friendly (iii) The Dutch Embassy to see Martine Verhulst (see above) (iv) the Royal Chelsea Hospital about their Outreach Programme and (iv) the Royal Fusiliers Regimental HQ where discussions had taken place about the difficulties of maintaining contact with veterans in the context of restrictions imposed by the General Data Protection Regulation. LS joined FLW at Stoll and FRH and LS joined her for the Royal Fusiliers visit.

Update on Gurkha Welfare

FRH reported that MoD were looking at the issue “incredibly seriously” and were planning for the minister to fly out to Nepal and understand the issues for himself. Further meetings were also being arranged with the Nepalese ambassador.

JB noted that Gurkha welfare was a complex issue, and that the committee should also be aware that there were a significant number of Fijian veterans who had served a cross a wide range of regiments.

Any other business

In the light of earlier discussion about the nation-wide challenges of recruiting VAPC members, AWT observed that the enshrining of the military covenant in law provided a strong signal of intent by the government, and, in that context, he would be keen to seek re-appointment to the committee when his term expired in March 2023.