The following is an email I sent to the DCLG on the date show. I have requested information on the area's stated below. As you can see by entries above in this thread the MoD are also producing information for me and I should get it within the next day or so. The links provided by FW are interesting so please view them. I will keep this site and others updated on this area of interest. This is why require to keep the pressure on, please keep emailing your MP's if they've failed to sign EDM 288 or get back to your requests. Thank you for making this a sticky and for the support being shown by all user's of this site. Outstanding
DT_Xtremez_28:
I am doing alot of background work on other area's that affect our rights to social housing, as you can see from the information below, this issue is getting a lot of coverage. We can get this disgraceful Legislation changed, but we have to keep on the backs of our Political Masters.
Good luck
Regards
Hitback
17/02/07 16:27:42
Dear Fxxxxx,
Thank you for getting back to me. I have re-worded my questions and placed them below.
Thank you for your time on this issue.
Regards
Hitback
1. I would like copies of all correspondance that DCLG has had with the MoD on the issue of;
a. Housing provisions for members of Her Majestys' Armed Forces on termination or completion of their contract.
b. Housing provisions for service leavers of Her Majestys' Armed Forces and Veterans in the Social Housing Sector.
2. All Parliamentary questions asking the DCLG about the issue of housing for service leavers of Her Majestys' Armed Forces and Veterans of the armed forces, as well as the following;
a. All replies by the DCLG to Parliamentary Questions on housing provisions to the above question (2).
b. All party groups of M.Ps who have shown an interest in the need for housing provisions for service leavers and veterans of Her Majestys' Armed Forces.
c. Minister and All Party Groups offical and unoffical, who have asked questions about the Homelessness Legislation 15.10 under 199(2) and (3) and its removal.
3. All correspondence between your department and the Ministry of Defence on the issue of Local Connection legislation and how this impacts on the provision of social housing.
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15 March 2007
Dear Hitback
Thank you for your email request of 17 February seeking information about housing for armed services leavers which we received on 17 February.
You have asked for copies of correspondence between the Department for Communities and Local Government and the Ministry of Defence about the provision of social housing for members of Her Majesty's Armed Forces on completion/termination of their contract. The Department holds the information you are seeking. However, there is a large number of documents and it would not be practicable to send them to you by email. It would therefore be very helpful if you could provide me with a postal address.
The Freedom of Information (FOI) Act 2000 obliges us to respond to requests promptly, and in any event no later than 20 working days after receiving your request. However, when a qualified exemption applies to the information, we are permitted to extend the time for response by a reasonable period. We do, of course, aim to make all decisions within 20 working days, including in cases where we need to consider whether a qualified exemption applies in respect of a request for information.
The specific qualified exemptions we are considering in relation to your request are section 35(1) (a) (the formulation or development of government policy) and section 35(1)(b) (Ministerial communications).
In your case we need to extend our response time limit by 14 working days to give us time to assess whether the public interest in withholding the information outweighs the public interest in disclosing it.
Therefore, we plan to let you have a response by 5 April. If there is a need for any further extension of time we will keep you informed.
You have also asked for all Parliamentary Questions to this Department, and replies to them, about the issue of housing provision for leavers from and veterans of Her Majesty's Armed Forces.
Parliamentary Questions, and the response to the questions, are published on the parliament website (
www.parliament.uk). However, for ease of reference, I have set out below the website addresses for a number of Parliamentary Questions relating to this subject Matter:
PQ 138220 - from Michael Weir MP
http://www.publications.parliament....vo031113/text/31113w16.htm#31113w16.html_wqn0
PQ 162766 - from Austin Mitchell MP
http://www.publications.parliament....vo040324/text/40324w23.htm#40324w23.html_wqn6
PQ 49146 - from Nadine Dorries MP
http://www.publications.parliament....vo060216/text/60216w05.htm#60216w05.html_wqn6
PQ 55977 - from Mark Harper MP
http://www.publications.parliament....d/cm060525/text/60525w0579.htm#06052638004440
PQ 86450 - from Mark Harper MP
http://www.publications.parliament....d/cm060725/text/60725w2100.htm#06072811011259
You have also asked for information about all party groups of MPs with an interest in the need for housing provision for leavers from and veterans of Her Majesty's Armed Forces, including those who have asked questions about the Homelessness Legislation.
If, by “all party groups of MPs”, you mean those unofficial groups of MPs which have an interest in a particular topic, then I am afraid that we do not have any information relating to these. However, I am aware that a number of MPs signed an Early Day Motion (EDM) put down by Nadine Dorries MP on this subject on 27 November 2006. The EDM is no. 288 and you can find the motion and signatories to it on the Parliament website at:
http://edmi.parliament.uk/EDMi/EDMDetails.aspx?EDMID=31905&SESSION=885
Communities and Local Government as an organisation aims to be as helpful as possible in the way it deals with requests for information under the Freedom of Information Act 2000. If, however, you are not satisfied with the way in which your request has been handled or the outcome, you may request an internal review within two calendar months of the date of this letter. Information about the Department's review procedures and how to apply for an internal review of your case is contained on the Department's website at
http://www.communities.gov.uk/index.asp?id=1141769
This also explains your right to apply directly to the Information Commissioner for a decision in the event that you remain dissatisfied following the internal review.
Please contact me if you have any queries about this email letter.
Yours sincerely,
Fxxxxs Wxxxxx
Senior Policy Adviser
Social Housing Management Branch
Zone 2/A4
Communities and Local Government
Eland House
Bressenden Place
London
SW1E 5DU
