Guidance

VAPC London: meeting minutes 20 March 2024

Updated 20 June 2024

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

Time: 4pm to 5.30pm

1. Present

• Robin Herzberg (FRH) – Chairman
• Victoria Bell (VB)
• Jim Blake (JB)
• Carl Stephen Patrick Hunter OBE (CSPH)
• Adam Kurzeja (AK)
• Caroline Flynn Macleod (CFM)
• Frances Luczyc Wyhowska (FLW)

2. Apologies

• Bishnu Gurung (BG)
• Annabel Goulding (AG)
• Charles Perrett (CP)
• Alpa Raja (AR)
• Larry Stone (LS)
• Brian Willmore (BW)
• Alex Woolgar-Toms (AWT)

3. Welcome

The chairman welcomed everyone to the meeting.

4. Apologies for absence

It was noted that BG, AG, CP, AR, LS, BW and AWT were unable to attend.

5. 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

6. Matters arising

There were no matters arising.

7. Changes in membership

FRH reported that, on 16 January 2024, the minister made two new appointments to the London VAPC: Victoria Bell and Adam (Guz) Kurzeja. Victoria currently serves as Executive Officer with 256 (City of London and South East) Multi-Role Medical Regiment and Adam is a former Royal Engineer who is currently working in the Cabinet Office.

Meanwhile, on 23 March 2024, the minister re-appointed the following members for another three years: James Blake, Caroline Flynn-McLeod, Annabel Goulding, Bishnu Gurung, Carl Stephen Patrick Hunter, Charles Perrett, Alpa Raja, Larry Stone, Frances Luczyc Whyhowska, Brian Willmore. Alex Woolgar-Toms was re-appointed last year.

8. London VAPC report to the minister

FRH reported that a meeting to discuss the report with the Minister for Defence People and Families, Andrew Murrison, took place on 8 November 2023. Following the meeting the Minister issued a letter dated 17 November 2023, setting out our new purpose viz to be his “eyes and ears”, as well his priorities for the coming year. viz. “to capture the lived experience of veterans of MOD’s Veteran Support Services at the local and regional level”.

9. Organisation changes

FRH reported a few recent changes in organisational structure: (i) A new chair of the UK Council of VAPC Chairs (‘UK CVC’) has been elected: it is Stuart Blackburn who is chair of the Eastern VAPC (ii) The VAPCs are to be jointly sponsored by Armed Forces & Veterans Services (‘AFVS’), formerly known as Veterans UK, and by the Covenant Team at the Ministry of Defence (iii) The Minister to whom the VAPCs report remains Andrew Murrison, who is Minister for Defence People and Families at the Ministry of Defence (iv) The new head of AFVS is Brigadier Patrick Wright.

10. Statutory instrument

FRH reported that a working group led by Carolyn Caddick, Chair of VAPC Scotland, had been established to work on the statutory instrument which would include provisions about how the VAPCs were to perform their functions. It was noted that efforts were being made to ensure the statutory instrument was kept concise (so that, in common with most statutory instruments, it follows the “negative procedure” i.e. does not require any debate in parliament).

11. Review of welfare provisions for veterans

FRH reported that an independent review of UK Government welfare services for veterans was issued on 17 July 2023. The Government had published a high-level response on 21 November 2023. Committee members were keen that the Ministry of Defence should issue a more detailed response on a timely basis.

JB expressed concerns that the quality of welfare provision seemed to vary between different localities. He also stressed the need for veterans to be appropriately identified and treated in the accident and emergency departments of hospitals.

CFM observed that, as some veterans do not have access to computers, it was vital that good quality telephone support should also remain available. The committee expressed dismay about reports that, at some welfare centres, telephone messages were not being followed up on a timely basis.

FLW stressed the importance of representatives from the Veterans Welfare Service meeting veterans on a face-to-face basis where appropriate.

CSPH expressed a desire to keep under review the definition of a veteran viz. “anyone who has served for at least one day in Her Majesty’s Armed Forces (Regular or Reserve), or Merchant Mariners who have seen duty on legally defined military operations.” His view was that to qualify as a veteran the person should at least have completed their basic and advanced training and was a fully trained member of the Armed Forces.

12. Strategy development

FRH reported that, in due course, an updated VAPC members’ handbook would be prepared which would adopt many of the ideas in the original strategy document.

13. Performance data

FRH reported on recent 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. AK reported that he had recently made a claim under the AFCS and had been led to believe that delays of at least a year were not uncommon. The committee expressed strong concerns about the length of time it was taking to get claims processed.

14. 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. However, it was hoped that further meetings could be arranged with representatives from the German, US, and other governments to identify best practice in veterans’ welfare which could be applied in the UK. CSPH stressed the importance of this work in the context of the aim to make the UK the best place in the world to be a veteran.

15. Working with the Greater London Authority and London boroughs

FRH reported that he had attended a round table with Len Duvall, Leader of the Labour Group for the London Assembly on 31 January 2024. FLW reported that she and LS had met with Leslie McDonnell, the Armed Forces Champion for the London Borough of Wandsworth on 26 February 2024. A series of recommendations were identified.

JB stressed the need for serving personnel to get themselves on the housing list in their home borough at an early stage of their military career.

16. Working with charities

FRH reported on recent meetings with a representative from the Veterans’ Welfare Service and with Ally Musthan, divisional secretary for central, north, and east London at the Soldiers’, Sailors’ and Airmen’s Families Association (‘SSAFA’). A series of recommendations were identified.

Members expressed concern that some charities might be applying the General Data Processing Regulation (‘GDPR’) too rigorously when there might be a “legitimate interest” in sharing personal data with other charities who might be better able to help specific veterans in crisis. AK suggested that it would be helpful if the Ministry of Defence or COBSEO issued some guidance in this regard.

AK mentioned the availability of funding from the Defence Innovation Fund to finance innovative solutions to military problems.

17. Working with Greater London Reserve Forces and Cadets Association

FRH reported that LS was seeking to arrange a meeting with the London RFCA.

18. Working with other government departments

FRH reported on a meeting with John Halliday, Armed Forces Champion Lead for London and Essex at the Department for Work Pensions on 5 December 2023. A series of recommendations were identified.

19. Any other business

There was no other business.

20. Date of the next meeting

It was agreed that the next meeting would take place at 16.00 on 19 June 2024 at Barclays Rise or by videoconference.