Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Taiwo Owatemi and Johnny Mercer

Monday 1st February 2021 Commons Chamber

[Taiwo Owatemi (Coventry North West) (Lab) [V]]

The Royal British Legion estimates that between 3% and 6% of homeless people are from an armed forces background. It is an unspeakable injustice that we are not safeguarding and protecting our veterans in the midst of a global pandemic. My constituents in Coventry North West and I would like to ask the Minister what support his Department is providing to homeless veterans in my city and across the country during the covid-19 outbreak.

[Johnny Mercer]

The Department has worked hard to put our arms around veterans across the community, working with the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government to make sure that our homeless veterans are looked after. We have commissioned studies from King’s College to look at the specific impacts of the covid-19 pandemic on veterans. We are committed to making sure that we do our duty by those who serve, and I am confident that we will do so.