To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what steps he is taking to support veterans in City of Durham constituency.

This is a Government of service that will always stand up for those who serve our country, no matter which community they are based in. I am working across government and with civil society to ensure veterans, including those in the City of Durham, and throughout the North East of England, get access to the health, housing, employment and other support they need. The 2021 census recorded 3623 veterans in the City of Durham constituency, representing 4.2% of the population aged 16 and over.

A range of support is in place for veterans. In England Op RESTORE provides specialist care to veterans who have physical health problems, and Op COURAGE, a mental health specialist service helps veterans and their families. Over 100,000 veterans have used Op RESTORE to date. The Government is investing more than £800,000 each to run this service. Op COURAGE has received over 35,000 referrals. The Government is investing more than £21 million each year to run this service.

Housing support is available across the United Kingdom via Op FORTITUDE, a single referral pathway to connect veterans with help and support. This system provides housing guidance and assistance to veterans experiencing or at risk of homelessness. As of 9 February 2025, over 3100 referrals have been made and over 880 veterans have been supported into housing.

Veterans can also access a range of tailored employment support, including the Career Transition Partnership, which is the initial point of provision for those leaving military service in search of new job opportunities.

Armed Forces Champions are also based across the UK’s JobCentre Plus network to help support members of the armed forces community into work.