Royal British Legion Llandudno - Plaid launches ‘Support for Veterans’ - Plaid yn lansio ‘Cefnogaeth i Gyn-Filwyr’

Elfyn Llwyd MP and Phil Edwards launched Plaid's new policy paper on supporting veterans this week in the Royal British Legion, Llandudno.
 
The paper highlights several key areas for reform in the penal system and the need for a separate strategic review of expenditure spent on personnel leaving the forces.

As the UK Government looks to undertake a defence spending review, Plaid will be urging the Westminster government to address this particular area of forces and veteran welfare.

Following on from the spiralling cost of military procurement and the government’s inability to keep within its budget, especially over the war in Afghanistan, Plaid is campaigning for priority to be given to veteran welfare.

Plaid Cymru’s Westminster leader Elfyn Llwyd MP first highlighted this issue seven years ago and has pressed the Prime Minister many times on the matter.

Mr Llwyd launched the document at the Royal British Legion in Llandudno.

Elfyn Llwyd MP said:

“This work is part of Plaid’s ongoing commitment to supporting troops and veterans that are currently being let down by the UK Government.

“If the government is going to send our brave troops to illegal and immoral wars they must remember that they still have a duty of care towards them or they break the Military Covenant.

“Large numbers of soldiers are coming back from war zones (more than ever before), and on leaving the forces, it is increasingly apparent that the government is doing little to support them.

“Last year figures showed there were twice as many veterans in prison than British troops are in Afghanistan.

“Initiatives need to be put in place to target the social isolation experienced by many veterans - something which would doubtlessly lessen the numbers entering into custody or probation in the first place.

“We’re advocating several measures such as a more thorough ‘debriefing’ procedure pre-discharge from the forces and which would include psychological assessments plus drug and alcohol tests. Intervention at an early stage could help many veterans before they come into contact with the criminal justice system.

“A post-discharge support programme should be designed to combat the various strains of social estrangement experienced by many veterans. Basic initiatives such as tenancy support services and advice on debt management should be as integral to a support programme as physical and mental health checks.

“What is missing on a national level is a holistic support service and also a system of identification of veterans coming into contact with the criminal justice system.

“There are many more options that need to be considered and this is very much an ongoing project.

“Reform of the current penal system, as well as the way criminal proceedings are dealt with within the military, is desperately needed to ensure our veterans do not end up in this vicious circle.”

Copies of the policy document are available on request.

.......

Mae Elfyn Llwyd AS a Phil Edwards wedi lansio papur polisi newydd Plaid ar gefnogaeth i gyn-filwyr yn y Royal British Legion yn Llandudno.

Mae’r papur yn tynnu sylw at sawl adran allweddol o fewn y system cosbol lle mae angen diwygiad. Y mae’n gofyn am arolwg strategol ar wahan o wariant ar filwyr sy’n gadael y lluoedd.

Wrth i’r llywodraeth Prydeinig cynllunio i ymgymryd ag arolwg ar wariant amddiffyn, bydd Plaid yn galw ar lywodraeth San Steffan i gyfarch yr adran arbenning hwn o les cyn-filwyr.

Yn dilyn adroddiadau o gostau cynyddol caffaeliad milwrol, ac analluedd y llywodraeth i gadw o fewn ei gyllideb ar Afghanistan, mae Plaid Cymru yn ymgyrchu er mwyn i les cyn-filwyr cymryd blaenoriaeth.

Gwnaeth arweinydd Plaid Cymru yn San Steffan, Elfyn Llwyd AS, dynnu sylw at yr achos hwn yn gyntaf saith mlynedd yn ol, ac y mae wedi gofyn cwestiynau uniongyrchol i’r Prif Weinidog ar y mater sawl tro. Lansiwyd y ddogfen gan Mr Llwyd yn y Royal British Legion, Llandudno.

Dywedodd Elfyn Llwyd MP:

“Mae’r gwaith hwn yn rhan o ymrwymiad parhaol y Blaid tuag at gefnogi milwyr a chyn-filwyr sydd ar hyn o bryd yn cael eu siomi gan y Llywodraeth Prydeinig.

“Os ydy’r llywodraeth yn mynd i ddanfon ein milwyr dewr i ryfeloedd anghyfreithiol ac anfoesol, rhaid iddynt gofio bod dal ganddynt dyletswydd o ofal tuag atynt, neu maent yn torri’r Cyfamod Milwrol.

“Mae niferoedd mawr yn dychwelyd o barthau rhyfel (mwy nag erioed o’r blaen), ac wrth iddynt adael y lluoedd, daw hi’n fwy fwy amlwg nad yw’r llywodraeth yn gwneud digon i’w cefnogi nhw.

“Llynedd, bu ffigyrau’n dangos roedd nifer y cyn-filwyr yng ngharcharau ym Mhrydain dwywaith nifer y milwyr Prydeinig yn Afghanistan.

“Mae angen menterau sy’n targedi’r ynysiad cymdeithasol sy’n brofiaf i gynifer o gyn-filwyr. Heb amheuaeth, byddai menterau o’r fath yn lleihau’r nifer o gyn-filwyr sy’n dod mewn i gysylltiad gyda’r system cyfiawnder troseddol yn y lle cyntaf.

“Ryn ni’n argymell sawl mesur, fel trefn ‘ôl-drafod’ fwy trylwyr i filwyr cyn iddynt adael y lluoedd arfog, gan gynnwys asesiadau seicolegol a phrofion cyffuriau ac alcohol. Gall ymyriad cynnar helpu mwy o gyn-filwyr cyn iddynt ddod i gysylltiad â’r system cyfiawnder troseddol.

“Dylsai rhaglen gynnal wedi gadael y lluoedd gael ei gynllunio i wrthweithio’r ynysiad cymdeithasol sy’n brofiad i ormod o gyn-filwyr. Dylsai menterau sylfaenol fel gwasanaethau cynnal tenantiaeth a chyngor ar oruchwyliaeth dyled fod mor annatod i’r rhaglen gynnal hwn ag y bydd profion iechyd meddyliol a chorfforol.

“Beth sydd ar goll ar lefel cenedlaethol yw gwasanaeth gynnal holistig, ac hefyd system o ganfod cyn-filwyr wrth iddynt ddod mewn i gysylltiad â’r system cyfiawnder troseddol.

“Mae nifer o opsiynnau eraill sydd rhaid eu hystyried gan taw cynllun sy’n mynd ymlaen yw hwn.

“Er mwyn gwneud yn siwr nad yw ein cyn-filwyr yn bennu lan yn y sefyllfa anaddawol hwn, mae angen ystyried diwygio’r system cosbol presennol, ynghyd ag ail-ystyried sut mae’r lluoedd arfog yn ymdrin â threfniadaethau cosb milwrol.”

Mae copiau o’r ddogfen polisi ar gael pan wneir cais.