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Written question asked by Alistair Carmichael (Liberal Democrat) on Tuesday, 7 July 2009, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Thursday, 9 July 2009. It was answered by Lord Beamish (Labour) on Tuesday, 14 July 2009 on behalf of the Ministry of Defence.

Service Personnel and Veterans Agency: Prisoners

Question
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) what funding his Department has allocated to the Service Personnel and Veterans Agency's Prison In-Reach programme in each year since the programme's inception;
Answer

The Veterans Prison-In-Reach initiative aims to raise awareness among ex-service offenders and their families about the help and assistance that is available to them. The Ministry of Justice and the MOD are working together with the ex-service charities, including The Royal British Legion, SSAFA-Forces Help and Combat Stress, to publicise the initiative and to target better those who need assistance. I will arrange for copies of our new leaflet and poster publicising the Veterans Prison-In-Reach initiative to be placed in the Library of the House.The Service Personnel and Veterans Agency (SPVA) Welfare Service has the capability to respond to referrals as part of their normal business. Consequently, no specific funding has been provided under this initiative.On contacting the SPVA, prison authorities (welfare) and ex-service offenders are referred to the Veterans Welfare Service which has the capability to offer help and advice to them and to their families. The ex-service charities also provide support including financial assistance, help with rent as well as clothing, training, relocation, employment and welfare visits to veterans and to their families.Statistics on the number of offenders who are ex-service, the number who contact the SPVA, and the prison establishments they come from are not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost. We are working closely with the Ministry of Justice to produce up-to-date and authoritative data on the number of our veterans in prison.

Secondary information

Type
Written question
Reference
496 c274W; 286067
Session
2008-09
Related items
Deposited Paper DEP2009-2063
Wednesday, 15 July 2009
Deposited papers
House of Commons
Subjects
Prisoners Veterans
Link
View this Written question on www.publications.parliament.uk