A decision on the second round of VALOUR funding for veterans’ organisations has yet to be made, more than two months after bidding closed, according to an answer given in Parliament.
David Reed, the Conservative member for Exmouth and Exeter East, asked how many veterans’ organisations had been unsuccessful in applying for VALOUR Development Funding and how many veterans that was expected to affect, and separately what support the department provides to organisations that fell outside the scheme’s scope.
Calvin Bailey, Parliamentary Under-Secretary and Minister for Veterans and People, said: “In March, the government announced the first 14 lead organisations under VALOUR, which is currently operating 21 VALOUR Recognised Centres (VRC), backed by over £13 million of government funding. The centres span the whole of the country, including centres in Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland and across England.
“A second round for organisations and consortia to bid for funding closed in August, I will make a final decision on which organisations have been successful, and the results will be announced soon.
“Alongside this, the VALOUR Campaign Site has launched to help veterans and their families find their nearest VRC, access MOD Veterans Services, and explain the breadth of support available across the UK.
“A new digital service will also be introduced for VALOUR, aiming to offer as many options as possible to help veterans and their families find the right support, especially for those unable to travel to a VRC.”
VALOUR is the government’s programme for rebuilding how veterans find help, announced with a commitment of £50 million and built around a network of recognised centres acting as front doors into local services covering housing, employment, health and welfare. The intention is to replace a landscape in which hundreds of charities operate with little coordination and a veteran’s experience depends heavily on where they live and which organisation they happen to reach first.
Maybe Tik Tok Andy can ask “middle class” areas to share the distribution of veterans as he moves them from the streets into tax payer funded HMOs? Oh sorry a full career of service to the country means they don’t qualify, it’s only if you break in, break the law and turn up unannounced with a bullshit story! On a more positive note the SAS Regimental association intends to challenge the Government in court over the “troubles” bill if it remains in its current form as it goes through the House of Lords!!!!