Homelessness: Tuberculosis

Baroness Knight of Collingtree Excerpts

Tuesday 1st March 2011 Lords Chamber

[Earl Howe]

My Lords, I very much see the force of the noble Lord’s point. We are very much committed to preventing homelessness and to protecting the most vulnerable. We have maintained the funding for the homelessness grant at the levels of the current year— £400 million over the spending review period, which is £100 million over each of the next four years. We are specifically providing £18.5 million a year to support the voluntary sector. This is a priority, but I will take away the point that he has made about Westminster City Council.

[Baroness Knight of Collingtree]

My Lords, is it possible for a person who has no fixed address to have a doctor or to get immediate medical attention?

[Earl Howe]

My noble friend puts her finger on a key difficulty with this group of people, who are often very difficult to keep track of. I heard of one case where a patient required 800 interventions, sometimes with the police involved. Clearly a lot of effort has to go into this group. However, it is possible, if the patient is willing, to register that person with a GP. The challenge is whether they actually return to complete their treatment, which of course extends over many months.