Examination of Witnesses (Questions 100-104)
MS SAMMIE
CRANE, COMMODORE
TOBY ELLIOTT
RN, AIR COMMODORE
EDWARD JARRON,
MS SUE
FREETH AND
MRS ELIZABETH
SHELDON
12 JUNE 2007
Q100 Chairman: I want to draw this
session to a close because it has been going on for a long time
this morning. Commodore Elliott, we are very much looking forward
to seeing you in Combat Stress. You may not be aware of this.
Commodore Elliott: We were waiting
to hear whether you would come.
Q101 Chairman: We would very much
like to see you after visiting Headley Court on Thursday. When
we visit can you possibly have considered the point that apparently
some research was published in the Lancet that it is not
necessarily a good thing to leap in very early when somebody suffers
psychological stress; sometimes it is best to leave the individual
for a period of time to allow his or her own resilience and curing
mechanisms to kick in. Perhaps we can ask you about that on Thursday.
Commodore Elliott: With pleasure.
Q102 Chairman: I should like a quick
yes or no answer to the final question which is to do with the
role of the voluntary sector as a whole. My impression from what
you have been saying this morning is that you believe the voluntary
sector has a very important role to play in these areas; that
you very much appreciated Lord Moonie's comment that you had a
huge role as ex-service organisations and government wanted you
to go on doing it; that you could be more agile as organisations
than the vast Ministry of Defence could ever be but that you need
to be properly funded for the work that you do. Is that a fair
summary of your views on the role of the voluntary sector?
Mrs Sheldon: Absolutely.
Ms Freeth: Yes.
Air Commodore Jarron: Yes.
Commodore Elliott: Yes.
Ms Crane: You are looking at me
but I am not ex-service.
Q103 Chairman: But from your experience
do you agree with that?
Ms Crane: Yes, most definitely.
Often people want something that is not part of the system to
be available in garrisons around the world, so I do support it.
Q104 Chairman: And not part of the
Chain of Command?
Ms Crane: No.
Commodore Elliott: There is a
nice mix. We want to work with the Chain of Command. We have been
to 3 Para, the padre you talked about and the commanding officer.
We already have a very good relationship. It is not so much for
their benefit although talking to them helps them; it is to ensure
that those soldiers who discharge themselves early post the amazing
tour they have just had in Afghanistan know about us and will
come to us.
Ms Freeth: There are some good
services that we would like to see extended. We have been pressing
for the Chilwell reservist programme to be extended. Those are
things that could be provided within the resources of the MoD.
Mrs Sheldon: We would give a definite
"yes" to that, but we also need to make sure that this
includes in service. Charities have a huge part to play in partnership
with the MoD in service. I have found a huge amount of willingness
and interest in setting up family accommodation at Headley Court
and Selly Oak, but I think there is a certain amount of embarrassment
among people in the MoD that this is not publicly funded. They
feel perhaps a little awkward sometimes when they work with charities
and know that they can move and help people much more quickly.
For us and the MoD it is important to encourage that maturity
in partnership working. We would like the MoD to see all of us
as very much part of the fabric by which services are delivered.
Chairman: I thank all of you for this
very valuable session.
Mr Jenkin: Chairman, can we record the
thanks of Members of the Committee for the work done by all of
these organisations? That work is of tremendous value The fact
that the quality of your evidence this morning has been of such
high value to us underlines what an immensely important role you
play in the welfare of our armed servicemen and women, veterans
and their families.
Chairman: That is entirely right.
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