Jun202017

News story: New Gateway will help veterans get support on civvy street

HM Government
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Backed by £2 million from the Ministry of Defence’s Covenant Fund, ‘Veterans’ Gateway’ is designed to help former Servicemen and women of all ages and backgrounds navigate their new lives as civilians.

From advice on housing and finance to help with health concerns, the Gateway will bring together the vast range of charities and support on offer, guiding veterans directly to the help they need, when and where they need it.

The new 24-hour online chat, phone, and text message service brings the Armed Forces support community together in a single place for the first time – delivered by a Royal British Legion-led consortium with Poppyscotland, Combat Stress, Connect Assist, the Ministry of Defence and SSAFA, the Armed Forces Charity. The service centre, based near Cardiff in South Wales, is manned partly by veterans to help ensure that callers can speak to someone who can understand their experience.

Tobias Ellwood, Minister for Defence People and Veterans said: 

The vast majority of our people make a smooth transition from military to civilian life, but the Veterans’ Gateway provides extra support in the form of a staffed, 24-hour, one-stop-shop offering guidance on housing and employment, finance, mental and physical health. Our £2 million investment honours the nation’s Armed Forces Covenant and draws all facets of support for our Armed Forces community together for the first time.

Charles Byrne, Director General of The Royal British Legion, on behalf of the Veterans’ Gateway consortium said:

Every charity only exists to help, but Lord Ashcroft revealed the uncomfortable truth that a proliferation of providers in our sector can cause confusion about where to turn. The consortium’s research found that the Armed Forces community – overwhelmingly – supports the Veterans’ Gateway, with 83 per cent welcoming the creation of a first point of contact. Veterans’ Gateway will make it easier for them to get the support they need, from whoever is best able to provide it. No matter how complex their needs, working together we can do more.

Veterans’ Gateway has been established in response to Lord Ashcroft’s 2014 Veterans’ Transition Review, which called for the process by which veterans are guided to welfare support services to be made easier to navigate. It honours the Armed Forces Covenant – a pledge, enshrined in law, that former and current members of our armed forces, and their families, should suffer no disadvantage because of their service to our nation. To contact Veterans’ Gateway Call: 0808 802 1212 Text: 81212 or visit: http://www.veteransgateway.org.uk

Jun202017

News story: New Gateway will help veterans get support on civvy street

MOD
image_pdfimage_print

Backed by £2 million from the Ministry of Defence’s Covenant Fund, ‘Veterans’ Gateway’ is designed to help former Servicemen and women of all ages and backgrounds navigate their new lives as civilians.

From advice on housing and finance to help with health concerns, the Gateway will bring together the vast range of charities and support on offer, guiding veterans directly to the help they need, when and where they need it.

Veterans’ Gateway

The new 24-hour online chat, phone, and text message service brings the Armed Forces support community together in a single place for the first time – delivered by a Royal British Legion-led consortium with Poppyscotland, Combat Stress, Connect Assist, the Ministry of Defence and SSAFA, the Armed Forces Charity. The service centre, based near Cardiff in South Wales, is manned partly by veterans to help ensure that callers can speak to someone who can understand their experience.

Tobias Ellwood, Minister for Defence People and Veterans said: 

The vast majority of our people make a smooth transition from military to civilian life, but the Veterans’ Gateway provides extra support in the form of a staffed, 24-hour, one-stop-shop offering guidance on housing and employment, finance, mental and physical health. Our £2 million investment honours the nation’s Armed Forces Covenant and draws all facets of support for our Armed Forces community together for the first time.

Charles Byrne, Director General of The Royal British Legion, on behalf of the Veterans’ Gateway consortium said:

Every charity only exists to help, but Lord Ashcroft revealed the uncomfortable truth that a proliferation of providers in our sector can cause confusion about where to turn. The consortium’s research found that the Armed Forces community – overwhelmingly – supports the Veterans’ Gateway, with 83 per cent welcoming the creation of a first point of contact. Veterans’ Gateway will make it easier for them to get the support they need, from whoever is best able to provide it. No matter how complex their needs, working together we can do more.

Veterans’ Gateway has been established in response to Lord Ashcroft’s 2014 Veterans’ Transition Review, which called for the process by which veterans are guided to welfare support services to be made easier to navigate. It honours the Armed Forces Covenant – a pledge, enshrined in law, that former and current members of our armed forces, and their families, should suffer no disadvantage because of their service to our nation.
To contact Veterans’ Gateway Call: 0808 802 1212 Text: 81212 or visit: http://www.veteransgateway.org.uk

Jun202017

John McDonnell response to Philip Hammond’s Mansion House speech

Labour
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John McDonnell MP,
Labour’s Shadow Chancellor, commenting on Philip Hammond’s Mansion House speech this morning, said:

“The Chancellor has
made clear this morning that the message remains the same – austerity will
continue. The Tories have learnt nothing from the General Election, and the
last seven wasted years of economic failure. The Conservatives have no
understanding of the depth of suffering, stress and insecurity their long
austerity regime has caused.

"And we
have seen the Chancellor again trying to distance himself from
the position of his Prime Minister on Brexit. It just shows
further disarray at the top of government. The fact that there is
clearly such a serious split between Number 10 and 11 is very worrying and only
helps to undermine our country ahead of the Brexit negotiations.

“It further shows just
how weak a position Theresa May is in. And raises the serious question of: how
can she negotiate Brexit when her own Chancellor is so publicly disputing her
position on Brexit and briefing against his own Cabinet colleagues?

“The truth is that the Government’s
spin of over a “hard” or soft “Brexit”, is just a smokescreen to paper over the
cracks of the divide at the very heart of this Tory Government. The reality is
that they are really planning a Brexit for the few by turning our county into a
tax haven off the coast of Europe, which diminishes workplace rights and
undermines working people’s living standards.

“Labour has called from
day one for the Chancellor to act on gaining assurances over our stake in the
EIB, and it has taken him a year to raise a finger; and now he has, all he is
offering businesses in our country in way of support to mitigate any risks from
the loss of this resource is a drop in the ocean from the actual support they
will really need.

“Only a Labour Government
will secure a Brexit for the many that will put jobs and the economy first, and
ensure that working families and small businesses are protected from any
challenges our country faces after leaving the EU.”

Jun202017

Press release: Lord Bourne statement following terror attack in Finsbury Park

HM Government
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As Minister for Faith and Integration, I would like to personally reiterate the messages from the Prime Minister and Secretary of State Sajid Javid in light of the attack in Finsbury Park on 19 June.

I want to send my reassurances to the Muslim community across the UK that the government wholly condemns the act of terror that occurred. Such an act of terror, directed at the Muslim community, has no place in Britain.

Muslims across Britain should feel free to practice their religion safe in the knowledge that their right to do so is guaranteed. This government will do everything in its power to make sure that Muslims are protected and safe to celebrate during the holy month of Ramadan.

I will continue my work with Muslim faith and community leaders. I will listen to their concerns. I will do everything to make sure that this attack does nothing to disrupt the incredibly positive interfaith engagement and community work of Muslim communities across the UK.

Jun202017

Finance Secretary confirms commitment to new communities scheme as Landfill Disposal Tax Bill progresses

Welsh Government
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The Landfill Disposals Tax (Wales) Bill, which introduces a new landfill disposals tax to replace landfill tax in Wales when it is devolved in April 2018, today reaches stage three, in the National Assembly.

The Welsh Government introduced an amendment, which, if the Bill is passed, places the new Landfill Disposals Tax Communities Scheme on the face of the Bill.

The amendment places a duty on Welsh Ministers to prepare and publish a communities scheme, which will be targeted at activities which promote or improve the social or environmental wellbeing of communities close to landfill sites and waste transfer stations.

The scheme will be funded by using some of the revenue raised by landfill disposals tax. A decision about how much will be allocated will be made in the autumn.

A procurement exercise to appoint the single distributive body that will run the scheme has begun. It is anticipated the contract notice will be launched at the end of July – the contract is expected to be awarded by the end of the year.

The Welsh Government will administer the overall governance of the scheme.

Professor Drakeford said:  

“In a year’s time, Wales will introduce the first Welsh taxes in almost 800 years. This is an historic milestone in Wales’ devolution journey as we become responsible for raising our own money to spend on public services.

“I am fully committed to having a new communities scheme when landfill disposals tax is introduced in April. The benefits it provides communities located around landfill sites and waste transfer stations are clear and numerous.

“The new grant scheme will focus on three areas – biodiversity, environmental enhancements and waste minimisation. It will maximise the amount of funding reaching community projects most affected by the disposal of waste to landfill and help improve our environment.

“The details of the scheme will be published separately but work is already underway to prepare for its introduction. I will make an announcement about the amount allocated to the scheme in the autumn.”

The Landfill Disposals Tax (Wales) Bill is the third of three Bills to establish tax arrangements in Wales – a series of crucial legislation to prepare for the introduction of the first Welsh taxes in almost 800 years. The Welsh Government has also adopted a collaborative approach to gain cross-party support for the Bill, agreeing non-government amendments to further improve the legislation.

The Finance Secretary added: 

“This Bill is the third piece of legislation to establish tax arrangements in Wales. It has been extremely important to work with colleagues across the Assembly to build consensus so we have a strong piece of legislation to help pave the way to a smooth transition to tax powers.”