Veteran homelessness has been labelled a “national disgrace” as the Senedd debated Conservative calls for ex-service personnel to be given priority for social housing.
James Evans warned it was unacceptable to have veterans sleeping on the streets, arguing that guaranteeing them a home should be a matter of “principle, not paperwork”.
The Tory Senedd member said: “It is a national disgrace that men and women who wore the country’s uniform – who stood ready to risk everything for our freedoms and protections – are sleeping rough or are stuck in insecure accommodation.”
He called on the Welsh Government to require councils and social landlords to give homeless veterans the highest priority for housing.
Leading a debate on Wednesday (November 12), Mr Evans set out a five-point plan to honour veterans, arguing remembrance must be about action rather than words.
‘How disrespectful’
He told the Senedd: “Remembrance must never just be about looking back, it must be about looking after those who have served and those who still serve today.”
As well as priority housing, the motion called for free bus travel for all veterans, a national military museum, support for service children and permanent peer mentors in the NHS.
Mr Evans criticised amendments, accusing Plaid Cymru of seeking to replace the substance of the motion with “vague platitudes or political point scoring”.
He said: “The most unacceptable part of Plaid Cymru’s amendment is that it seeks to delete a section of our motion that recognises the significant ongoing contribution that the military makes to Wales. How disrespectful is that?”
Plaid Cymru’s Peredur Owen Griffiths warned one in five Welsh veterans could be eligible for an armed forces pension but are not claiming it – “often due to confusion or complexity”.
‘Bureaucratic maze’
He told the Senedd: “Veterans should receive what they are owed automatically and not be left to navigate a bureaucratic maze.”
Mr Owen Griffiths said: “Too many veterans still face poverty, homelessness and poor mental and physical health – a damning indictment of successive UK Governments.
“The independent review of UK Government welfare services for veterans could not have been clearer: funding cuts have hollowed out support.
“The Trussell Trust reports that over a quarter of veterans now struggle to afford food.”
Lindsay Whittle, the newly returned Plaid Cymru Senedd member for Caerphilly, raised his constituents’ concerns about military personnel’s access to NHS dental services.
Mr Whittle called for a service pause policy for NHS dental registration, so veterans and their families do not lose access due to a change of address. He said: “I would like to think that we are all united, despite the attacks earlier,… in supporting the veterans of this country.”
‘Person-centred’
Ken Skates, who is responsible for armed forces policy in Wales insofar as it is devolved, described the Tory proposals as “well-intentioned asks” which presented challenges.
Responding to calls for priority housing, he pointed to the Welsh Government’s homelessness bill which is making its way through the Senedd scrutiny process.
The transport secretary said: “The bill seeks to create a person-centred homelessness system that responds to the support needs of all applicants experiencing or at risk of homelessness, including, crucially, members of the armed forces community.”
Mr Skates confirmed a review of the national housing pathway for ex-service personnel was under way to ensure it is applied consistently across all 22 councils. He said offering free bus travel could lead to calls for emergency workers to receive the same entitlement.
Senedd members voted 35-13 against the motion. The Welsh Government’s amended version – which removed the Tories’ five calls – was agreed 36-11, with one abstention.