Oral Answers to Questions

Neil Coyle Excerpts

Monday 14th September 2015 Commons Chamber

[Neil Coyle (Bermondsey and Old Southwark) (Lab)]

16. What assessment he has made of the reasons for changes in the level of rough sleeping since 2010.

[The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government (Mr Marcus Jones)]

One person without a home is one too many. That is why since 2010 we have invested more than £500 million in local authorities and the voluntary sector to prevent and tackle homelessness in their areas.

[Neil Coyle]

I was intrigued to hear the Minister mention earlier how dearly the Government hold those who serve in our armed forces. Ex-forces rough sleeping in London has risen elevenfold since 2010. Homes 4 Heroes does a brilliant job in my constituency supporting the ex-forces, but what specific measures does the Department have to prevent those leaving our armed forces from ending up on the streets, and to intervene when they are identified as rough sleeping?

[Mr Jones]

As I said earlier, this is an extremely important issue. Ministerial work is going on in relation to the military covenant, and my hon. Friend the Minister for Housing and Planning is part of that ministerial group. We are also supporting local authorities with programmes to help them with rough sleepers, both to help rough sleepers on the street so that they do not spend a second night out—that has been especially useful in London—and to work with other housing groups so that rough sleeping does not become entrenched. We are helping people to get off the streets, especially those with mental health issues.