Nus Ghani has long campaigned for improved recognition for our armed forces and veterans. She is pleased that veterans will now get guaranteed job interviews for some public sector jobs.
The guaranteed interviews scheme, which is set to enter its pilot stage this spring, will see veterans applying for jobs going directly to the shortlist stage for some positions.
The Ministry of Justice, the Ministry of Defence, the Cabinet Office and the Home Office will take part in the pilot scheme, which will apply retroactively to all veterans who meet the criteria set in law.
The announcement comes only weeks after the Government unveiled the new Veterans Railcard, due to be released on Armistice Day 2020.
Nus Ghani has been a vocal supporter of better care for military veterans ever since she was first elected to Parliament, in 2015. She was a member of the Armed Forces Bill Committee, is a graduate of the Parliamentary Armed Forces Scheme, and has campaigned for improved post-service support and access to work, as well as social services.
Upon welcoming the guaranteed interviews scheme, Ghani said:
‘This Government is rolling out a series of compassionate, One Nation policies, designed to make the UK a more tolerant and inclusive country. This vision can only be achieved if our veterans are treated with the respect they are owed.’
‘The Veterans Railcard and the guaranteed interviews scheme repay a portion of the debt of gratitude that this country owes to its former military men and women. I have been assured that the Office for Veterans’ Affairs is putting in the work to guarantee that we can repay even more of this debt. So far, I have seen great strides in that direction.’
