HL Deb 21 January 2003 vol 643 cc87-8WA
Baroness Anelay of St Johns

asked Her Majesty's Government:

What assistance they give to Armed Forces personnel who are homeless after leaving their period in service. [HL880]

The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Ministry of Defence (Lord Bach)

The Ministry of Defence is working closely with the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister's Homelessness Directorate and with the ex-service benevolent sector to ensure that the best advice, practical assistance and support are given to the small proportion of service leavers who are vulnerable to homelessness. Advice and assistance are co-ordinated by the Joint Service Housing Advice Office, which is a tri-service funded organisation tasked with providing information on all aspects of housing needs, including purchase or renting either privately or through a council or housing association.

Baroness Anelay of St Johns asked

Her Majesty's Government:

What discussions they have held in the past six months with voluntary agencies to determine how further assistance might be given to ex-forces personnel to ensure that they are not homeless; and what are those agencies. [HL881]

Lord Bach

Through their membership of the Ex-Services Action Group on Homelessness (ESAG), the Ministry of Defence (MoD) and the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister's Homelessness Directorate have regular discussions with the voluntary agencies which are working to help service leavers make a better transition back to civilian life. The last ESAG meeting was held on 11 November last year. ESAG members from the voluntary sector include Home Base, Haig Homes, Ex-Service Followship Centres, Sir Oswald Stoll Foundation, Alcohol Recovery Project, Training for Life, Business in the Community, SSAFA, Forces Help, The Royal British Legion and the Single Service Benevolent Charities. MoD has also held bilateral meetings with the English Churches Housing Group in connection with Single Person Accommodation Centre for Ex Service (SPACES) project, with Shelter on the Armed Forces project and with Business in the Community to develop a new partnership project to help the small number of ex-service personnel among the long-term homeless.