I want to begin this week by highlighting just how important our veterans are, and how much we owe these brave men and women.
These people have sacrificed so much for the protection of our country and the liberties that many of us so often take for granted.
Unfortunately, the care and support they receive when transitioning back into civilian life often falls far short of what they deserve.
In particular, the long NHS waiting lists here in Wales make it extremely difficult for ex-service personnel, especially those injured in the line of duty, to access the treatment they need. I have only recently been contacted by ex-service men who have had to face unacceptable problems when trying to access the treatment they need and should of had.
Under the Armed Forces Covenant, these veterans are entitled to priority treatment. However, the immense strain on our NHS means this commitment is too often not upheld and Welsh veterans are often disadvantaged against those in England.
In addition, the housing crisis in Wales is having a serious impact on our veterans, with far too many not getting their housing needs met, sometimes being forced into homelessness or crisis housing.
This is not the kind of environment that should be facing ex-service men and women who often have sacrificed so much for our country.
I am proud of the commitment we, as the Welsh Conservatives, have made to our veterans here in Wales.
We will extend free bus travel to all 115,000 military veterans in Wales and invest an additional £3 million into Veterans NHS Wales to fund peer mentoring services.
Furthermore, our plans to alleviate pressure on public services will, in turn, support our veterans, ensuring they receive the priority treatment they both need and have been promised.
At the end of the day, we have a moral duty to support our veterans, and it is a national embarrassment that they are not currently receiving the level of support they deserve here in Wales.
Peter Fox MS - Monmouth
