Nadine's Motion On Housing, Forces The Government To Change Legislation
Posted by Nadine Dorries, MP for Mid Bedfordshire, at 15:52, Tue 26 June 2007:
I have cautiously welcomed a statement released by the Department for Communities and Local Government on proposals to improve the housing situation for former members of the armed forces.
In November 2006 I tabled a Parliamentary Motion calling for greater action to support the housing needs of veterans. The Early Day Motion – (Number 288) titled Housing Provision For Former Members Of The United Kingdom’s Armed Forces – has received cross-party support and calls for the government to review the current system for allocating housing to service veterans.
So far 228 MPs have signed the motion, making it the 14th most popular EDM in Parliament out of 1768. I welcome the government's recent announcement as a positive step in the right direction. With the support of MPs from across all sides of the House of Commons, the government have recognised that this is a very important issue that must be addressed. The Government have decided to make changes to housing legislation, to ensure that veterans are treated fairly and put on an equal footing with other people applying for social housing.
I will continue to keep pressure on the government to ensure that housing legislation is changed as soon as possible. However, any change in legislation must be matched with significant investment for additional affordable housing at the same time.
The text of the Early Day Motion is as follows:
EDM 288: Housing Provision For Former Members Of The United Kingdom’s Armed Forces.
That this House notes the important contribution made by Her Majesty’s Armed Forces in defending the United Kingdom’s national interests; recognises their commitment and professionalism in the service of our country both at home and abroad; recognises that following the end of their careers in the armed forces many of our servicemen and women and their families face considerable difficulties in securing housing appropriate to their needs as civilians; believes housing associations and the government should review housing allocation policy in respect of establishing ‘local connections’ to ensure that former members of the armed forces are not discriminated against when applying for housing.
The Government's statement is as follows:
Social Housing
The Minister for Housing and Planning (Yvette Cooper):
My hon. Friend the Under Secretary of State for Defence and Minister for Veterans and I have recently reviewed the way in which current housing legislation impacts on those leaving the Armed Forces. This follows representations from Service personnel and others that the local connection provisions in housing legislation put Service personnel and those leaving the Armed Forces at a disadvantage when trying to access social housing.
Local authorities in England are responsible for framing their own policies and procedures for allocating social housing. In deciding who gets priority for social housing, housing legislation allows local authorities to take into account whether someone has a local connection with their district.
Not all local authorities take local connection into account. Where they do, the legislation can put Service personnel at a disadvantage since an individual cannot establish a local connection with an area through residence or employment there when serving in the Armed Forces.
The Government are committed to aiding the effective transition of Service personnel to civilian life, and access to suitable housing is a vital part of this. Many will have bought their own home during their time in Service—and the Ministry of Defence has several schemes in place to encourage this—or will do so on leaving.
However, for some Service leavers home ownership may not be an option and they may wish to apply for social housing. We believe it is important that the service they have given to their country does not place them at any disadvantage in this respect. The Government have therefore decided to make the necessary changes to housing legislation, at the earliest opportunity, to ensure that Service personnel are treated fairly and put on an equal footing with other people applying for social housing.
The detail of how the change will be effected will need to await the outcome of the current review of housing policy which the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government announced, following publication of Professor Hills’ wide ranging report on social housing on 20 February 2007. We will bring forward our proposals in due course.
If you have any thoughts or views on this, or any other issues then please get in contact with me in the usual way.
Write to me at: Nadine Dorries MP House of Commons London SW1A 0AA
Telephone me on: 020 7219 4239
Fax me on: 020 7219 6428
Email me at: dorriesn@parliament.uk
Visit my website at: www.dorries.org.uk
Nadine
Nadine Dorries MP Member of Parliament for Mid-Bedfordshire.
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