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Armed Forces Personnel

That is a good idea, and I believe that that is done to some degree. In my constituency work and as a Minister, I met people who had left the forces feeling strong, healthy, fit and ready to face anything that the world could throw at them, but one day something had hit them—family break-up, drink, drugs or God knows what—their lives changed dramatically and they did not know where to turn. A year or so ago, I was sitting in my constituency office with a veteran who attempted suicide several times and who, but for the South Atlantic Medal Association, would not have known where to go. That is not acceptable today. An organisation such as the Veterans Agency should be as well known as the BBC, so that ex-servicemen and women know where to go for help. We must do more than we are. In advocating the idea of a veterans department, I point out that the United States created one in 1989. In 2005, as a result of pressure from the veterans department in the United States, the United States Department of Labour distributed more than 300,000 wallet-sized cards to veterans and serving personnel. The cards include information about careers and health. That is a simple idea, but it has proved to be effective, so perhaps we should consider introducing a similar scheme here. Our most valuable asset is our people, and ex-servicemen and women—our veterans—can make a massive contribution to our economic well-being when they leave the services. We must encourage that and create opportunities for them. Support for our veterans is about not only welfare issues, but recognising and remembering the sacrifices that they have made on our behalf. Campaign and service awards, the veterans badge and veterans day on 27 June, which is a big event next Wednesday, are all ways of demonstrating to our veterans that we appreciate and value what they have done in serving our country. I have tabled early-day motion 356, which has attracted 179 signatures. It calls on the committee on honours and privileges to change its advice to Her Majesty the Queen on the wearing of the Pingat Jasa Malaysia medal, the PJM. I ask the Minister, my right hon. Friend the Member for East Kilbride, Strathaven and Lesmahagow (Mr. Ingram), who has been hugely supportive, once again to press the committee on the matter. Her Majesty, as Queen of Australia and of New Zealand, on the advice of her Ministers, has agreed that Australian and New Zealand ex-servicemen can accept the PJM and wear it. The 35,000 British veterans of the Malaysia campaign deserve to be treated no less well than that. I think it wholly wrong that they cannot accept and wear the medal. They were told that they can receive the medal but that they are not permitted to wear it on public occasions. At best, that decision is unjust; at worst, it is a disgrace and a shame on Britain. I know that my right hon. Friend has taken an interest in the matter, and I ask him to press the committee once again to review its advice to Her Majesty. This country has made great strides in recognising and supporting our veterans, but we can do much more. I hope that Ministers will find some merit in the points that I have made. I do not expect a full response today, but I look forward to a time when this Government, this Parliament and this country show even greater commitment to the men and women who have served in Britain’s armed forces.