Ken Skates MS, Cabinet Secretary for Transport and North Wales
I have recently received the 2024-25 report from the Veterans’ Commissioner for Wales, which is submitted to UK Government Ministers and shared with the Welsh Government.
I am grateful to James Phillips for his assessment of the experiences of our Ex-Armed Forces community in Wales which provides a very helpful overview of his engagement with veterans and veterans’ advocacy groups from across Wales. I am delighted to note the Commissioner’s assessment that Wales remains a good place for veterans and that recommendations from the 2023-24 report are being addressed.
Since last year’s report we have supported veterans into employment, delivering jobs fairs and employer conferences in Cardiff and Wrexham and these will again take place in November and December 2025, with Welsh Government investment alongside the Reserve Forces and Cadets Association and Ministry of Defence. We have also seen Operation NOVA, supporting veterans in the criminal justice system, starting to be rolled out in Wales and we are engaging with the Forces Employment Charity on that initiative. The Welsh Government-funded Armed Forces Liaison Officers (AFLOs) are now part of our core budget and continue to deliver for veterans in Wales, working with support groups and hubs across Wales and with our hardworking Armed Forces champions and lead officers to embed the Covenant across local authorities and other public bodies.
Wales has strong support system for veterans, however I recognise the requirement and challenge to continue to strive to make life even better for our veterans, and broader Armed Forces community in Wales. This is something we are committed to and will work with the Commissioner and partners to deliver.
We work closely with the Commissioner as part of the Armed Forces Expert Group, which includes key public, third sector and Military representatives in Wales along with the Chair of the Senedd’s cross Party group on the Armed Forces and Cadets. We will be considering this report in detail at our next meeting in November, and I look forward to those discussions.
This report will be considered alongside our ongoing work with key partners including the Ministry of Defence and Office for Veterans Affairs as we consider expansion of the Armed Forces covenant duty and the new UK Veterans strategy. The views and experiences of our Armed Forces community are central to our approach, and this report is an important contribution to that ongoing work.