Please help.... Squaddies On the Streets after Serving Country!!!

[Tezcatlipoca]

I've just tried emailing my MP again via the British Legion link (David Howarth, Lib. Dem., Cambridge), seeing as he never replied when I tried a few months ago or whenever.

Kept the standard text, & just added a personal bit at the start.

Seems to have an error of some sort though at the moment - kept failing to send, said there was no recipient even though there was


As the British Legion form didn't work for me, I used http://www.writetothem.com/ to send it instead.

Originally Posted by Matt D

My grandfather was in the RAF, & I have two uncles who have served with the Parachute Regiment in the Falklands & N. Ireland, one of whom is still serving with the Paras & is currently in Afghanistan. I also have a cousin who used to be an Army Medic until being discharged for medical reasons after the 1st Gulf War.

As such, I was particularly disappointed to hear that it is so difficult for those leaving the armed services to get social housing. It seems that it is particularly a problem for those servicemen and women with families who want to live in the area in which they have been stationed.

The Housing Act 1996 states that a serviceman or woman should not be treated by the local authorities as being employed in their district. Nadine Dorries, the Conservative MP for Mid Bedfordshire, has taken up the cause and tabled a motion in Parliament asking other MPs to support it.

Will you sign EDM 288? If not, I would appreciate if you could reply with your reasons why not.


Yours,

Matt Dodd

[spike7451]

Thanks for that Matt D.

elovabloke has this linky for you,


info@davidhowarth.org.uk

Spike

[Hitback]

I now have a reply from Mr Camerons office about a meeting.


Dear Hitback,

Many thanks for your further email. Sadly David’s diary is incredibly busy over the forthcoming months and unfortunately he is unable to meet everyone he would like to.


I will however forward your email on to Mark Harper MP, Shadow Defence Minister and ask him to get in touch with you about this.



Regards,


Axxx Bxxxx

Correspondence Secretary

David Cameron's Office

House of Commons

London

SW1A 0AA

[Hitback]

The Royal British Legion link is now working.

[Tezcatlipoca]

I had an email last week from David Howarth's "Casework Assistant" informing me that he'd received my email & would bring it to David Howarth's attention.

I now have a signed letter on House of Commons stationary from Mr David Howarth MP, thanking me for my email, & informing me that he has signed EDM 288 as I asked

[Hitback]

The simple fact that only 9% of other ranks 18% and of officers own their own property. This should be a good sign there is an issue to be addressed.

May be better education on their future housing needs outside the forces, if thats by the JSHAO or by other means, I don't care. However it requires to be done sooner rather than later.

The whole point of this campaign is to change the Homelessness Legislation, it currently discriminates against those that have served their country by being in the Armed Forces.

The point made about arguing between his or her's home location for attaining a "Local Connections" is not correct. There are some Districts that wipe their hands of people that have been away for some time. (Posted personnel also included).

In a Continuous Attitude Survey 37% of responding Officers were either fairly or very disatisfied with the prospects for buying or even renting a house. This rose to 42% for other ranks. There are some service families leaving and going into Hostel Accommodation for some time. In some areas this could be up to 2 years.

Hitback

[TheDaddy]

Originally Posted by Hitback

The whole point of this campaign is to change the Homelessness Legislation, it currently discriminates against those that have served their country by being in the Armed Forces.

I can't believe the amount of effort this has taken, it's obviously flawed, unfair legislation, yet it has taken this much work and suffering to even get this far, politicians, they make me want to puke

[Hitback]

This is my recent reply from another MP. As you can see it does work, all you have to do is contact them and ask them to support EDM 288.

Dear Hitback,



Thank you for taking the time to write to me. I appreciate your concern at the difficulties faced by those leaving the armed forces in obtaining social housing, and I understand your wish to see action taken by the Government to address this issue.



You are right in saying that I do not need to be your MP in order to sign Early Day Motion 288 if I agree with the contents of this, and I am pleased to inform that I have indeed added my signature to this motion, to note the important contribution of the armed forces and to raise my concerns about the housing problems many servicemen and women and their families are experiencing.



You can view the motion, currently signed by 221 MPs, by following this link http://edmi.parliament.uk/EDMi/EDMDe...05&SESSION=885 and my signature should appear on this following the current Parliamentary recess. I will encourage my colleagues to add their signatures and I hope that the motion will continue to gain support and prompt the Government to action to review housing allocation policy to address the problems faced by former members of the armed forces.



Thank you again for getting in touch, and I hope that you will receive useful responses from the other Members you have contacted in connection with this issue.



Yours sincerely,



Jo Swinson MP







Jo Swinson MP

East Dunbartonshire

Tel: 0141

Fax: 0141

Email: swinsonj@parliament.uk

Web: www.joswinson.org.uk

[etccarmageddon]

this is disgracful. if you'd been in prison for a few years and come out would you be forced to wait 7 years for council accomodation?

[Xaccers]

Originally Posted by etccarmageddon

this is disgracful. if you'd been in prison for a few years and come out would you be forced to wait 7 years for council accomodation?

Looks like it:
http://www.jrf.org.uk/knowledge/find...using/H178.asp

Almost two-thirds of the ex-prisoners in this study were single people. They had no statutory right to housing

[Hitback]

The increase of ex-forces personnel going to prison has increased greatly. The RBL and other forces charities are visiting prisons more often than ever before. Ex-Prisoners are also under the same part of the legislation 199. However I feel that's incorrect to place those that have served, in the same category as offenders.

If there is such a shortage of Social Housing stock, and there really is shortage, Why the hell are we allowing so many people into the country?

[Hitback]

My email to Mr Cameron and his office's response. I believe what they are saying to me is; This is a very small issue so please don't bother the leader of the Party!



Dear Mr Cameron,



I telephoned your office in London on the 8th May and asked if Mr Cameron would please reply to my email. I was informed by a member of his staff that his office would give me an answer to the meeting.



I served 23 years in Her Majesty's' Armed Forces and I can safely say that all of us that served under a Conservative Party had it a lot better than under the Labour Party. The only real mistake was selling on the SFA to Annington Homes Plc, but the profit shared agreement that still stands could and should be addressed by his party. The exchequer between 1997 and 2004 made over 100 million pounds, whilst those that lived and wished to buy old SFA were given a meagre 1% for ever full ten years served. This I find a disgrace and believe should be corrected in line with current house prices.



On my visit to Ten Downing Street two years ago, I was ignored and my request to see senior members of the government such as the PM, DPM and the housing minister were shunned. I did manage to talk in depth with Mark Harper MP at the House of Commons and the department he works with did release an interesting paper on or around this issue. However TA soldiers and their needs were missing.



I look forward to his response.



Kind regards



Hitback



REPLY

Dear Mr Hitback,

Thank you for emailing David Cameron – I am replying on his behalf.

Thank you for taking the trouble to write. I believe that you are regular contact with Mark Harper's office and they are aware of some of the issues you raise. Please do keep in touch with them on these matters and thank you again for your email.

Yours sincerely,



Dxxxx Bxxxx

Correspondence Secretary

David Cameron's Office

House of Commons

London

SW1A 0AA

[etccarmageddon]

that's a lazy reply.

[dreko07]

I can't believe how different US is from UK treating their veterans. In the US they are treated as heros. Donating money to help injured soliders is one of the most admirable ways of helping these brave guys. So I give what I can plus I'm trying to convince my company to do some kind of fundraiser. this summer.

I personally dont believe that the iraq war was a good desicion, but it was the politicians who made it and the armed forces who have to do the dirty work.

Im proud of our countries armed forces and I for one will stand by those guys coming home beaten and bruised,

Dr eko

That reply from Cameron is awful...Even Tony Blair could have done a better job.