Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Ian Blackford and Andrew Murrison

Monday 25th March 2024 Commons Chamber

[Dr Murrison]

I think that getting 500 off the streets is good—it is certainly a start—but one person without a home is one too many, whether they are a civilian or a veteran. The important thing is that we look at factors that might be peculiar to defence that predispose people to homelessness, because we have a particular duty to those people in accordance with the military covenant. In general, as the hon. Gentleman and I both know, people leaving the armed forces are much better placed for the balance of their lives in civilian life than their equivalents in civil society, but that is not the case for everyone. Some people fall through the cracks, and we must ensure that they are scooped up and looked after.

[Ian Blackford (Ross, Skye and Lochaber) (SNP)]

5. What progress his Department has made on improving the readiness of the armed forces.