§ 17. Dr. Rudi Vis (Finchley and Golders Green) (Lab)If he will make a statement on joint working with the US Administration on veterans' affairs. [143784]
§ The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Defence (Mr. Ivor Caplin)I visited the United States last month where I met the Secretary of Veterans' Affairs in the American Administration, Secretary Principi. We agreed that there should be greater co-operation between Governments on the issues.
§ Dr. VisI congratulate my hon. Friend on the initiative. Will he go into more detail about the discussions and tell us whether further meetings are planned?
§ Mr. CaplinThe discussions between the US and the UK centre on increasing co-operation to involve Veterans Affairs Ministers of Australia, New Zealand and Canada in a ministerial-level meeting. That will be an important opportunity to develop veterans' affairs with the United States and across the Commonwealth.