Commons Chamber
12:41
Alison McGovern MP, Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government) (Birkenhead, Labour)
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Alison McGovern MP, Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government) (Birkenhead, Labour)
targets to start that change, to reduce homelessness from prisons, from care and from hospitals, and to force lasting system change, will introduce a duty to collaborate, to compel public services, to work together to prevent homelessness. Now we're backing up all of these actions with record level of funding. We've invested more than £1 billion for homelessness services this year, including the largest ever investment in prevention services. And I can announce today the allocation of an extra £50 million top up to the Homelessness Prevention grant this year to further boost the support available to people at risk of homelessness right now.
And this strategy sets out how we'll provide a further 3.5 billion funding for homelessness and rough sleeping services over the next three years, with much more freedom and flexibility for councils to get on and do. Now we've made our ambition clear and we will hold ourselves accountable to achieve the outcomes we seek. This strategy sets out three new national targets, alongside commitments from our six of our most crucial partner departments across Whitehall the Inter-Ministerial Group on Homelessness and Rough Sleeping will continue to meet to deliver the strategy and will publish a report on progress at least every two years.
Although, Madam Deputy Speaker, I have absolutely no doubt that members in this House will hold us accountable week in, week out for these targets. We'll monitor local progress with new outcomes metrics, with councils setting targets and publishing action plans. And on those goals, ending the use of B&Bs, halving long term rough sleeping, and making sure that we increase the rate at which homelessness is prevented. I know that everyone in this House wants all of our places up and down the country to succeed, because now more than ever, we need our partners to join us in this mission.
Councils, frontline public services, homelessness organisations, voluntary community faith groups. Together, if we join forces, this strategy will set us on the path to ending homelessness and deliver immediate action to improve the lives of people experiencing homelessness and rough sleeping. For every child without a bedroom to do their homework in. For every adult whose life could be turned around for want of an arm around their shoulder. For every person who just needs a home for Christmas and beyond, this plan is for you.
And this government is for you too. And I commend this
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House. Shadow Minister. Thank you, Madam Deputy Speaker.
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Thank you, Madam Deputy Speaker. And at the outset. I'd like to thank. The Minister for her remarks and for advanced for her remarks and for advanced sight of her statement. This is the third time that I've had the opportunity to discuss the issue of homelessness with the Minister in homelessness with the Minister in the last seven weeks, and I do not doubt that all honourable and right doubt that all honourable and right hon. Members gathered here today share a strong desire to end rough sleeping and homelessness for good.
And this strategy sets out how we'll provide a further 3.5 billion funding for homelessness and rough sleeping services over the next three years, with much more freedom and flexibility for councils to get on and do. Now we've made our ambition clear and we will hold ourselves accountable to achieve the outcomes we seek. This strategy sets out three new national targets, alongside commitments from our six of our most crucial partner departments across Whitehall the Inter-Ministerial Group on Homelessness and Rough Sleeping will continue to meet to deliver the strategy and will publish a report on progress at least every two years.
Although, Madam Deputy Speaker, I have absolutely no doubt that members in this House will hold us accountable week in, week out for these targets. We'll monitor local progress with new outcomes metrics, with councils setting targets and publishing action plans. And on those goals, ending the use of B&Bs, halving long term rough sleeping, and making sure that we increase the rate at which homelessness is prevented. I know that everyone in this House wants all of our places up and down the country to succeed, because now more than ever, we need our partners to join us in this mission.
Councils, frontline public services, homelessness organisations, voluntary community faith groups. Together, if we join forces, this strategy will set us on the path to ending homelessness and deliver immediate action to improve the lives of people experiencing homelessness and rough sleeping. For every child without a bedroom to do their homework in. For every adult whose life could be turned around for want of an arm around their shoulder. For every person who just needs a home for Christmas and beyond, this plan is for you.
And this government is for you too. And I commend this
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House. Shadow Minister. Thank you, Madam Deputy Speaker.
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Thank you, Madam Deputy Speaker. And at the outset. I'd like to thank. The Minister for her remarks and for advanced for her remarks and for advanced sight of her statement. This is the third time that I've had the opportunity to discuss the issue of homelessness with the Minister in homelessness with the Minister in the last seven weeks, and I do not doubt that all honourable and right doubt that all honourable and right hon. Members gathered here today share a strong desire to end rough sleeping and homelessness for good.
12:43
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Homelessness. Madam Deputy Speaker, is a social tragedy wherever it occurs and for whatever reason, no one in our society should be forced to live on the streets, and it is to live on the streets, and it is incumbent on us all to do our best to ensure that our constituents can live a safe, decent and secure home. live a safe, decent and secure home. The Minister's reference to the horrendous figure of how many men, women and children have died while being homeless is a poignant reminder of why decisive action is critical.
And although progress was made to that end under the previous government, work remains to be done and I offer my full support to the government for their shared desire to end homelessness once and for all. As policymakers have increasingly come to appreciate, homelessness does not simply begin at the point when someone finds themselves on the street. Rather, it's rooted in long term causes whether they may be, for example,
And although progress was made to that end under the previous government, work remains to be done and I offer my full support to the government for their shared desire to end homelessness once and for all. As policymakers have increasingly come to appreciate, homelessness does not simply begin at the point when someone finds themselves on the street. Rather, it's rooted in long term causes whether they may be, for example,
12:44
Gareth Bacon MP (Orpington, Conservative)
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Gareth Bacon MP (Orpington, Conservative)
persistent issues with mental health or substance abuse offenders stuck between prison and the streets with no place to go, or young people in care, leaving the system without a fixed destination. I am pleased to see that inspiration for working cross-departmental has been taken from the previous government's ending rough sleeping for good ending rough sleeping for good strategy that brought seven departments from across the government together to that end. government together to that end. The previous government implemented the Streetlink to provide more support for those who are sleeping rough, or those concerned with someone who is sleeping rough.
This connects local authorities and charities and provides support for those who need it most in order to ensure quicker support. So we welcome the government taking action, but we need to see details of how this plan will be implemented in the long term to achieve their goals. Homelessness has reached a record high in the past year, with the number of households including children, in temporary accommodation, surging to historic highs. Saint Mungo's have estimated that long term rough sleeping is up by 27% in London alone, so it is vital that the government look at the wider picture to see all the connected pressures.
Only by making a concerted effort to reduce the cost of living and make housing more affordable, will government get people out of temporary accommodation and into long term, secure homes of their own? But with the government determined to spend ever increasing amounts on welfare, increasing taxes and making it harder to employ people, they must square this with the negative impact it has on people's jobs. Labour promised to build 1.5 million new homes by the end of this parliament. The Minister referred to that again in her remarks today.
To make good their promise, they must build 300,000 new homes per year, but with only delivering 208,600. In 20 2425, they are already 91,400 behind their self-imposed target, which does not bode well for the future. The homelessness strategy has only just been published and we will, of course, study it carefully. But there are some initial questions I would like to put to the Minister today. With the government demonstrably failing to meet the housing targets, what guarantees will there be that they will make their new new target on homelessness and plan to halve long term rough sleeping? How will they make that promise? Cast iron? The government are pushing more responsibility on to local authorities by requiring councils to publish action plans, in addition to their homelessness strategy.
How will this actually help? Will this just result in more paperwork? The former Secretary of State promised to repeal the Vagrancy Act. Will the Minister update us on whether this is still the plan, and if it is, will she set out a clear timeline? The strategy makes mention of various new targets. What metrics will the government use to assess the success or otherwise of the strategy? Will the government report back to Parliament on progress regularly, and if so, with what frequency? In closing, Madam Deputy Speaker, we all want this strategy to work.
In that spirit, His Majesty's opposition will engage constructively with this plan and we will scrutinise it as it is implemented.
This connects local authorities and charities and provides support for those who need it most in order to ensure quicker support. So we welcome the government taking action, but we need to see details of how this plan will be implemented in the long term to achieve their goals. Homelessness has reached a record high in the past year, with the number of households including children, in temporary accommodation, surging to historic highs. Saint Mungo's have estimated that long term rough sleeping is up by 27% in London alone, so it is vital that the government look at the wider picture to see all the connected pressures.
Only by making a concerted effort to reduce the cost of living and make housing more affordable, will government get people out of temporary accommodation and into long term, secure homes of their own? But with the government determined to spend ever increasing amounts on welfare, increasing taxes and making it harder to employ people, they must square this with the negative impact it has on people's jobs. Labour promised to build 1.5 million new homes by the end of this parliament. The Minister referred to that again in her remarks today.
To make good their promise, they must build 300,000 new homes per year, but with only delivering 208,600. In 20 2425, they are already 91,400 behind their self-imposed target, which does not bode well for the future. The homelessness strategy has only just been published and we will, of course, study it carefully. But there are some initial questions I would like to put to the Minister today. With the government demonstrably failing to meet the housing targets, what guarantees will there be that they will make their new new target on homelessness and plan to halve long term rough sleeping? How will they make that promise? Cast iron? The government are pushing more responsibility on to local authorities by requiring councils to publish action plans, in addition to their homelessness strategy.
How will this actually help? Will this just result in more paperwork? The former Secretary of State promised to repeal the Vagrancy Act. Will the Minister update us on whether this is still the plan, and if it is, will she set out a clear timeline? The strategy makes mention of various new targets. What metrics will the government use to assess the success or otherwise of the strategy? Will the government report back to Parliament on progress regularly, and if so, with what frequency? In closing, Madam Deputy Speaker, we all want this strategy to work.
In that spirit, His Majesty's opposition will engage constructively with this plan and we will scrutinise it as it is implemented.
12:47
Alison McGovern MP, Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government) (Birkenhead, Labour)
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Alison McGovern MP, Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government) (Birkenhead, Labour)
Stafford. >> Stafford. >> Thank you, Madam Deputy Speaker, and I'd like to thank the hon. Gentleman for his comments. I'd like to particularly support members across the House for their cross-party way in which they've engaged on this strategy. We will disagree, and I'm sure that we will disagree about the manner in which sometimes Social Security is discussed from that side of the House. But where we agree, let's make every effort to put the people first who really need this strategy.
And those are people who've been on the streets for too long and children who deserve a proper childhood. And I hope that that is an ambition that we can share together. He asked me a number of questions on on metrics. The department publishes a number of data sets that we're using to analyse the metrics. He's mentioned a couple of them in terms of the children in temporary accommodation and long term rough sleeping. We also know how many people present themselves to councils at risk of homelessness, and we want to increase the rate at which that is prevented.
And I'll make sure that we report regularly to Parliament on that. He mentions the Vagrancy Act. There are some other bits of legislation that need to come into force so that we can do that. But I'll write to him with the exact timings because it relates to the business of another department. On council's strategies, and whether or not it's just paperwork, it very much is not, because if you look at the statistics, you can see that in some areas we've been able to get on top of B&B use.
And there's more details in the strategy and in other areas we haven't. So it's less about paperwork and more about transparency over outcomes and then action to make sure that the best practice informs what's going on everywhere. And, you know, he asks about targets and how cast iron there will be, I think, thinking about the state of house building, it was always going to be the case that we had to ramp up over time. I am personally clear that these are achievable goals in this strategy, and I would welcome his support and the support of the rest of the House in making sure we see it done.
And those are people who've been on the streets for too long and children who deserve a proper childhood. And I hope that that is an ambition that we can share together. He asked me a number of questions on on metrics. The department publishes a number of data sets that we're using to analyse the metrics. He's mentioned a couple of them in terms of the children in temporary accommodation and long term rough sleeping. We also know how many people present themselves to councils at risk of homelessness, and we want to increase the rate at which that is prevented.
And I'll make sure that we report regularly to Parliament on that. He mentions the Vagrancy Act. There are some other bits of legislation that need to come into force so that we can do that. But I'll write to him with the exact timings because it relates to the business of another department. On council's strategies, and whether or not it's just paperwork, it very much is not, because if you look at the statistics, you can see that in some areas we've been able to get on top of B&B use.
And there's more details in the strategy and in other areas we haven't. So it's less about paperwork and more about transparency over outcomes and then action to make sure that the best practice informs what's going on everywhere. And, you know, he asks about targets and how cast iron there will be, I think, thinking about the state of house building, it was always going to be the case that we had to ramp up over time. I am personally clear that these are achievable goals in this strategy, and I would welcome his support and the support of the rest of the House in making sure we see it done.
12:50
Florence Eshalomi MP (Vauxhall and Camberwell Green, Labour )
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Florence Eshalomi MP (Vauxhall and Camberwell Green, Labour )
Chair of the Select Committee. Florence Eshalomi. Thank you, Madam Florence Eshalomi. Thank you, Madam Speaker. I thank the Minister for her statement this. >> Afternoon and. Also paying a
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Afternoon and. Also paying a tribute to the hon. Member for Bethnal Green and Stepney and the right hon. Member for Ashton-under-Lyne for their work on Ashton-under-Lyne for their work on this. This is an air that they were both committed to when they were both in their previous roles. The Minister is correct in that reversing the tide of homelessness should certainly be a national priority, and it's a priority that will not happen overnight. We know that further action is going to be needed to ensure that councils have the support, because they are facing pressures, particularly as the Minister will know, for collectively for London councils, they're facing pressures of £5 million a day just on two, and one of the ways which the government can help alleviate and stop people from becoming homeless in the first instance is the issue with their rents for a number of areas, including local government association, a number of cross-party support have been asking the government around the local housing allowance rates in terms of looking at that, to make sure people can afford to rent locally so they don't find themselves facing that threat of eviction and facing homelessness.
Is this an area that the Minister is discussing with colleagues and the DWP and the Treasury, in terms of making sure that our residents and tenants don't find themselves evicted? And I and I think about the many children who in two weeks from today, will be opening their presence in another B&B or in another temporary accommodation, unsuitable temporary accommodation for them and for many others. We have to make sure we get this right.
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Afternoon and. Also paying a tribute to the hon. Member for Bethnal Green and Stepney and the right hon. Member for Ashton-under-Lyne for their work on Ashton-under-Lyne for their work on this. This is an air that they were both committed to when they were both in their previous roles. The Minister is correct in that reversing the tide of homelessness should certainly be a national priority, and it's a priority that will not happen overnight. We know that further action is going to be needed to ensure that councils have the support, because they are facing pressures, particularly as the Minister will know, for collectively for London councils, they're facing pressures of £5 million a day just on two, and one of the ways which the government can help alleviate and stop people from becoming homeless in the first instance is the issue with their rents for a number of areas, including local government association, a number of cross-party support have been asking the government around the local housing allowance rates in terms of looking at that, to make sure people can afford to rent locally so they don't find themselves facing that threat of eviction and facing homelessness.
Is this an area that the Minister is discussing with colleagues and the DWP and the Treasury, in terms of making sure that our residents and tenants don't find themselves evicted? And I and I think about the many children who in two weeks from today, will be opening their presence in another B&B or in another temporary accommodation, unsuitable temporary accommodation for them and for many others. We have to make sure we get this right.
12:51
Alison McGovern MP, Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government) (Birkenhead, Labour)
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Alison McGovern MP, Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government) (Birkenhead, Labour)
Thank you, Madam Deputy Speaker, and I thank the chair of the Select Committee for her words and for her long standing commitment to tackling homelessness in the capital and right across the country. She asked me about council pressures, and she's right to do so because it would. We are trying to address the inadequacies of council funding across the country, but at the moment, the cost of to and the way that temporary accommodation is spiking in the demand pressures that it's putting on councils is going to make it ever harder for councils to balance their Budget.
And it serves nobody. If we don't get this under control, because it's a waste of taxpayers money, no less than it is a waste of childhoods and we've got to get on top of it. She asks me about incomes and whether I discussed that with other departments. This is a cross-departmental strategy, and Ministers from DWP and other departments have been very involved in it. At the heart of the. The problem is the lack of social housing, particularly in London, and that's why we need to build more.
But I'm glad that this strategy is coming very closely after the child poverty strategy last week, which saw action to improve family incomes, not least the removal of the two child limit.
And it serves nobody. If we don't get this under control, because it's a waste of taxpayers money, no less than it is a waste of childhoods and we've got to get on top of it. She asks me about incomes and whether I discussed that with other departments. This is a cross-departmental strategy, and Ministers from DWP and other departments have been very involved in it. At the heart of the. The problem is the lack of social housing, particularly in London, and that's why we need to build more.
But I'm glad that this strategy is coming very closely after the child poverty strategy last week, which saw action to improve family incomes, not least the removal of the two child limit.
12:53
Gideon Amos MP (Taunton and Wellington, Liberal Democrat)
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Gideon Amos MP (Taunton and Wellington, Liberal Democrat)
Liberal Democrat spokesperson Gideon Amos. >> Deputy Speaker. >> And we too, for the Liberal Democrats, welcome this statement and the additional funding. But I will have some questions, certainly for liberals, from Beveridge to Stephen Ross, who introduced the first homeless legislation into this chamber, tackling homelessness and poor housing has been central to allowing people to lead fulfilled and free lives that we want to see them lead. I also want to pay tribute to the Shadow Health Foundation for highlighting the tragic figures that the Minister highlighted of children and babies dying, with temporary accommodation being mentioned on the death certificate as one of the contributory factors.
Truly tragic situation 132,000 households in temporary accommodation 12,000 households on the waiting list in my Somerset council area are far too many. One homeless household is, of course far too many and as I think the hon. Member for Harrow East raised only another week, there's been a 22% increase in the numbers of homeless people amongst those discharged from public institutions, which is, as Minister has said, a massive, massively important aspect to all of this. Our Liberal Democrat manifesto called for ending section 21 evictions and for across Whitehall strategy on this.
So we welcome both of those things and it's excellent to see that they've happened. But we would want to urge the government to go further, in particular, increasing the social housing target from the 18,000 to 150,000 social homes per year, or at least the 90,000 social homes per year that shelter and the National Housing Federation say is required. But can I ask the Minister, therefore, in welcoming this statement, what is the timeline for appealing to for completing the repeal of the Vagrancy Act provisions? Will the government uprate the Local housing allowance to represent one third the bottom third of rents and index link that housing allowance to those rents? And when will when will housing benefit be effectively unfreezing by reviewing that local housing allowance? And finally, will the government consider exempting homeless people from the shared accommodation rate, which both reduces the quantity of housing available to them? And of course, impoverishes the quality of housing available to homeless people?
Truly tragic situation 132,000 households in temporary accommodation 12,000 households on the waiting list in my Somerset council area are far too many. One homeless household is, of course far too many and as I think the hon. Member for Harrow East raised only another week, there's been a 22% increase in the numbers of homeless people amongst those discharged from public institutions, which is, as Minister has said, a massive, massively important aspect to all of this. Our Liberal Democrat manifesto called for ending section 21 evictions and for across Whitehall strategy on this.
So we welcome both of those things and it's excellent to see that they've happened. But we would want to urge the government to go further, in particular, increasing the social housing target from the 18,000 to 150,000 social homes per year, or at least the 90,000 social homes per year that shelter and the National Housing Federation say is required. But can I ask the Minister, therefore, in welcoming this statement, what is the timeline for appealing to for completing the repeal of the Vagrancy Act provisions? Will the government uprate the Local housing allowance to represent one third the bottom third of rents and index link that housing allowance to those rents? And when will when will housing benefit be effectively unfreezing by reviewing that local housing allowance? And finally, will the government consider exempting homeless people from the shared accommodation rate, which both reduces the quantity of housing available to them? And of course, impoverishes the quality of housing available to homeless people?
12:55
Alison McGovern MP, Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government) (Birkenhead, Labour)
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Alison McGovern MP, Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government) (Birkenhead, Labour)
Minister. >> Thanks. Madam Deputy Speaker, I'd like to thank the hon. Gentleman for his welcome of the Gentleman for his welcome of the strategy and for him joining the cross-party support for the objectives that we're trying to achieve. I think it's that's important that we make it clear where we have that agreement amongst parties. I just in response to the to also the his welcome of the work of the Shared Health Foundation, I join him in that it's very important work that they've done to.
On the final question that he asked, there are exemptions, exemptions to the shared accommodation rate, and I would encourage him to have a look at that part of the strategy. On the local housing allowance. I just mentioned him. The response I gave to my colleague, the chair of the select committee, a few moments ago. It is important that family incomes improve. That's why we took the steps that we did in the child poverty Strategy on the Vagrancy Act. I responded to the the shadow Minister opposite, but I'll happily send him in detail the steps that we're taking to bring that about.
And he he mentions the need to increase social housing. I would commend to him the details published by my colleague, the housing Minister, on this. I don't think any of us should have a cap on our ambition for building social and affordable homes, and I would encourage all parts of the country to get on with spending, the investment that the Chancellor has allocated so that we can put a roof over people's heads.
On the final question that he asked, there are exemptions, exemptions to the shared accommodation rate, and I would encourage him to have a look at that part of the strategy. On the local housing allowance. I just mentioned him. The response I gave to my colleague, the chair of the select committee, a few moments ago. It is important that family incomes improve. That's why we took the steps that we did in the child poverty Strategy on the Vagrancy Act. I responded to the the shadow Minister opposite, but I'll happily send him in detail the steps that we're taking to bring that about.
And he he mentions the need to increase social housing. I would commend to him the details published by my colleague, the housing Minister, on this. I don't think any of us should have a cap on our ambition for building social and affordable homes, and I would encourage all parts of the country to get on with spending, the investment that the Chancellor has allocated so that we can put a roof over people's heads.
12:57
Sean Woodcock MP (Banbury, Labour)
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Sean Woodcock MP (Banbury, Labour)
Sean Woodcock. >> Sean Woodcock. >> Thank you very much. >> Madam Deputy Speaker. >> Can I welcome this strategy and pay tribute to the Minister and her pay tribute to the Minister and her predecessors for the work that's gone into it? One I'd also like to pay tribute to Banbury on homelessness project in my constituency, who do great work with young people affected by homelessness, and I'd extend an invitation to the Minister to come and visit them at some point. One feature of the current housing crisis, however, is that temporary accommodation is often anything but.
The Minister has reiterated the government's ambition to build 1.5 million homes during the course of Parliament. I would be grateful if the Minister could just provide some details as to how the government plans to accelerate the delivery of homes, particularly in areas like mine, where infrastructure issues are frequently a barrier to the delivery of much needed affordable homes.
The Minister has reiterated the government's ambition to build 1.5 million homes during the course of Parliament. I would be grateful if the Minister could just provide some details as to how the government plans to accelerate the delivery of homes, particularly in areas like mine, where infrastructure issues are frequently a barrier to the delivery of much needed affordable homes.
12:58
Alison McGovern MP, Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government) (Birkenhead, Labour)
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Alison McGovern MP, Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government) (Birkenhead, Labour)
Thank you, Madam Deputy Speaker. I thank the hon. Member, my hon. I thank the hon. Member, my hon. Friend, for his question. He knows that I am a fan of Banbury, and I'm hoping to get there before too long, and I would be most grateful to meet the organisations that he mentions. It sounds like they're doing sterling work and I'm grateful to them for it. He mentions that temporary accommodation is often anything but, and that's true. The distinction that we're trying to draw in this strategy is one of quality, because good quality temporary accommodation cannot often help a family get back on the road to stability.
But we see some really poor quality temporary accommodation. But in order to give people that that long term home that they can set down roots in, members will know that our planning bill has been proceeding through Parliament so that we can speed up the delivery of all housing, including the social housing we so desperately need.
But we see some really poor quality temporary accommodation. But in order to give people that that long term home that they can set down roots in, members will know that our planning bill has been proceeding through Parliament so that we can speed up the delivery of all housing, including the social housing we so desperately need.
12:58
Rt Hon Sir Edward Leigh MP (Gainsborough, Conservative)
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Rt Hon Sir Edward Leigh MP (Gainsborough, Conservative)
Sir Edward Leigh. >> I welcome this. >> Statement and of course, we need a massive house building programme and I suspect the government is and I suspect the government is going to have to strip away many more delays and controls if they're going to have any chance of meeting their own target. But does the Minister understand that there's a real lack of confidence in all this? Because people see our own people on the streets not having proper housing, but they see people who enter the country illegally, migrants just being held for months in comfortable hotels in idleness, and that if the government was to be really robust and arrest, detain and deport these people, not only could we concentrate more resources on those genuinely in need and and we could also actually save lives at sea.
12:59
Alison McGovern MP, Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government) (Birkenhead, Labour)
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Alison McGovern MP, Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government) (Birkenhead, Labour)
Thank you, Madam Deputy Speaker, and I thank the Father of the House and I thank the Father of the House for his question. As part of this strategy, I've worked closely with my colleagues in the Home Office to support their priorities, to secure our borders, to deal with the dreadful criminality, trafficking people across borders and get the backlog down. That is the best way to mean that we can do as he suggests, which is have the resources to support people who've fled conflict and who need to rebuild their lives.
As part of this strategy, we want to make sure that where people have their case decided they're a refugee and will be settling in the UK, we need to make sure that they get that help quickly. That means councils knowing where they are and they're being support available. And I approach.
As part of this strategy, we want to make sure that where people have their case decided they're a refugee and will be settling in the UK, we need to make sure that they get that help quickly. That means councils knowing where they are and they're being support available. And I approach.
13:00
Rt Hon Anneliese Dodds MP (Oxford East, Labour )
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Rt Hon Anneliese Dodds MP (Oxford East, Labour )
Anneliese Dodds thank. >> Anneliese Dodds thank. >> You, Madam Deputy Speaker. >> Homelessness pressures in Oxford, as she knows, are some of the worst as she knows, are some of the worst in the whole country. Will she join me in commending Oxford City Council's plan to purchase 260 additional homes for temporary accommodation, to get kids out of hotel rooms and other unsuitable accommodation, and into decent quality, much cheaper accommodation. What will she do to back initiatives like that, and to preserve councils ability to impose requirements on developers so that they also provide social accommodation? Thank you Minister.
13:01
Alison McGovern MP, Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government) (Birkenhead, Labour)
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Alison McGovern MP, Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government) (Birkenhead, Labour)
Thank you, Madam Deputy Speaker >> Thank you, Madam Deputy Speaker and I will join my hon. Friend in commending Oxford City Council and their plans. That is exactly the their plans. That is exactly the sort of action that this strategy envisages. Get kids out of totally unsuitable B&B accommodation and help councils have the resources to acquire much better accommodation that then can stabilise family life. In order to back councils to do that, we've got the 950 million local authority housing fund that I mentioned earlier, and I want to see local authorities charging forward to tackle this problem.
Oxford are not the only ones who are getting it right. There are others across the country, but I would encourage everybody to look at the approach that they are taking.
Oxford are not the only ones who are getting it right. There are others across the country, but I would encourage everybody to look at the approach that they are taking.
13:01
Rebecca Smith MP (South West Devon, Conservative)
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Rebecca Smith MP (South West Devon, Conservative)
Rebecca Smith Deputy Speaker and the excellent team at Plymouth City Council work tirelessly to tackle homelessness, but pressures on the private rented sector in the city increased because of the Renters Rights Bill has hindered the supply of permanent move on accommodation, and we know it doesn't all need to be social housing. We need those private rented homes as well. It accounts for sustained numbers of Plymouth households in temporary accommodation at around 440 a month, half in B&Bs, of which 40 are families.
Now, whilst I recognise some support for councils to buy properties and aims for new home completions, the reality is that won't be enough. So how long will households in Plymouth have to wait for a home if they're currently in temporary accommodation? And is Plymouth one of the 20 local authorities being supported to eliminate B&B use of families as part of the child poverty strategy?
Now, whilst I recognise some support for councils to buy properties and aims for new home completions, the reality is that won't be enough. So how long will households in Plymouth have to wait for a home if they're currently in temporary accommodation? And is Plymouth one of the 20 local authorities being supported to eliminate B&B use of families as part of the child poverty strategy?
13:02
Alison McGovern MP, Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government) (Birkenhead, Labour)
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Alison McGovern MP, Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government) (Birkenhead, Labour)
Minister. >> Minister. >> Thank you, Madam Deputy Speaker, and I'll have more to say about funding for local authorities funding for local authorities specifically in the coming days. As she will know, we're expecting to give the provisional statement for local authorities. She she mentions the renters rights. We know that section 21 evictions are a significant cause of homelessness. And that's right. That's why it's right that we've brought those to an end to the Renters Rights Act. Of course, we all want to see good quality private rented accommodation to any place needs a mix of housing so that people can have choice and a good community around them.
13:03
Sarah Russell MP (Congleton, Labour)
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Sarah Russell MP (Congleton, Labour)
Sarah Russell thank you, Madam Deputy Speaker. strategy, which is very welcome. And I know she's very personally committed to there is a long term ambition in the strategy to reduce the number of days of school missed by children in temporary accommodation. Is there a specific target around that? And in terms of building on the data transparency that we have around children from more deprived backgrounds, how does she envisage in more detail that this will be achieved? And in particular, is there an ambition, apart from just school days lost, to have a wider tracking of outcomes for these children, and particularly how many times they may return to temporary accommodation in the course of their childhood?
13:04
Alison McGovern MP, Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government) (Birkenhead, Labour)
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Alison McGovern MP, Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government) (Birkenhead, Labour)
Minister. and I'd like to thank my friend for her question. It's a it's a really important one. And she'll know that the Department for education is introducing the unique identifier, which is at the core of the data. We need to track this properly. And she asked me about ambitions for days lost in an ideal world. Zero. But but what we need to do is to get that work underway with the DfE and plot a course through the action plan over the weeks and months to come to get it reduced significantly.
13:04
Sarah Dyke MP (Glastonbury and Somerton, Liberal Democrat)
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Sarah Dyke MP (Glastonbury and Somerton, Liberal Democrat)
Sarah Deputy Speaker Glastonbury has the highest density of van dwellers in the UK, with around 300 people living in caravans. While some do choose this as a way of life, many are vulnerable or simply cannot afford to pay rent. They deserve a proper roof over their heads, because many of the caravans that they live in are simply not fit for accommodation. So what considerations has the Minister made in this strategy to support those being exploited by unscrupulous van Lords in this unregulated market? And will she meet with me to discuss this ongoing crisis?
13:05
13:05
Danny Beales MP (Uxbridge and South Ruislip, Labour)
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Danny Beales MP (Uxbridge and South Ruislip, Labour)
Thank you, Madam Deputy Speaker. plan to end homelessness today, a much needed after the appalling record of the last 14 years. In particular, I would like to draw attention to the target to eliminate the use of B&Bs for families. Having grown up in temporary accommodation and spent time in bed and breakfast. This is long overdue, so thank you. Today's plan is a major undertaking and will require cross-government working. So as a member of the Health and Social Care Select Committee, I'm pleased that the awful practice of discharging to the back to the street will be committed to end in the plan.
Does the Minister agree with me that to to get there? Firstly, trust are going to have to start accurately counting those who are homelessness, who are homeless in hospital, which shockingly doesn't already happen. And secondly, that more support teams such as the wonderful pathways teams in many trusts need to be rolled out across every eligible hospital trust. Yeah.
Does the Minister agree with me that to to get there? Firstly, trust are going to have to start accurately counting those who are homelessness, who are homeless in hospital, which shockingly doesn't already happen. And secondly, that more support teams such as the wonderful pathways teams in many trusts need to be rolled out across every eligible hospital trust. Yeah.
13:06
Alison McGovern MP, Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government) (Birkenhead, Labour)
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Alison McGovern MP, Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government) (Birkenhead, Labour)
Thank you, Madam Deputy Speaker, and I thank my hon. Friend for his and I thank my hon. Friend for his question. He demonstrates his own expertise in this area, both from his life experience and this House is so much the better for having people in it that actually know what we're talking about today, but also from the considerable work that he has done on this matter, he mentions a couple of areas where we need to work with NHS and health colleagues, and that's exactly the nature of the work we've been doing.
And I trust in him that he will use his place on the Health Select Committee to hold us all collectively to account.
And I trust in him that he will use his place on the Health Select Committee to hold us all collectively to account.
13:06
James Wild MP (North West Norfolk, Conservative)
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James Wild MP (North West Norfolk, Conservative)
James Wild. >> James Wild. >> Thank you very much. >> Madam Deputy Speaker. >> And I welcome the ambition to end homelessness and pay tribute to the Purfleet Trust, the Kingsland Night Shelter, the Borough Council and other groups who are working hard and collaborating today to end rough sleeping and homelessness. How will this strategy and the resources help support their efforts and focus on intervention and prevention in more local accommodation?
13:07
Alison McGovern MP, Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government) (Birkenhead, Labour)
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Alison McGovern MP, Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government) (Birkenhead, Labour)
Minister. >> Minister. >> Thank you, Madam Deputy Speaker, and I'd like to thank the hon. Gentleman for his question and if I Gentleman for his question and if I may through him, give my own thanks to the organisations he's just mentioned in his constituency, who I'm sure are doing vital and important work. One of the biggest challenges for local authorities in recent years has been living hand to mouth, year to year funding, which they then pass on to the organisations that they fund.
So having three year settlements that mean that there's a level of predictability will not only help organisations, be they a council or a voluntary sector organisation, to plan better. It will also mean that they can engage more in preventative work, because they've got enough time to see the benefits.
So having three year settlements that mean that there's a level of predictability will not only help organisations, be they a council or a voluntary sector organisation, to plan better. It will also mean that they can engage more in preventative work, because they've got enough time to see the benefits.
13:08
Andrew Cooper MP (Mid Cheshire, Labour)
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Andrew Cooper MP (Mid Cheshire, Labour)
Andrew Cooper thank you, Madam Deputy Speaker. I'd like to thank Deputy Speaker. I'd like to thank the Minister for her work on her commitment on this issue and on the child poverty strategy, which is not unrelated to the work in this. I think I want to welcome the strategy as a good first step in the right direction. And I think the focus on prevention and the duty to collaborate are particularly important, as is the new money for supported housing. I think the lack of a Homes England plan for supported housing has been a real gap, and we've seen supported housing units close as housing associations have struggled to balance their what they have to do on compliance, on responsive repairs and on new development with wanting to offer supported units.
I think helping people deal with the trauma of homelessness and deal with the underlying reasons why they became homeless in the first place is the best way of preventing recurrence, and we've seen that with Housing First programs elsewhere. I was wondering whether she'll commit to monitoring the success of the supported housing element of this, and whether she'll look to expand it in future if it's proved successful.
I think helping people deal with the trauma of homelessness and deal with the underlying reasons why they became homeless in the first place is the best way of preventing recurrence, and we've seen that with Housing First programs elsewhere. I was wondering whether she'll commit to monitoring the success of the supported housing element of this, and whether she'll look to expand it in future if it's proved successful.
13:09
Alison McGovern MP, Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government) (Birkenhead, Labour)
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Alison McGovern MP, Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government) (Birkenhead, Labour)
Thank you, Madam Deputy Speaker. I'd like to thank my hon. Friend for his apposite question. And for his apposite question. And there is extra money for supported housing in the strategy. And of course, we'll be monitoring the success of that. There's also money for recovery because there's no doubt about it. People live with the trauma of homelessness for many years and we need to help them move forward in life.
13:09
Rt Hon Jeremy Corbyn MP (Islington North, Independent)
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Rt Hon Jeremy Corbyn MP (Islington North, Independent)
Jeremy Corbyn thank you, Madam Deputy Speaker. statement and the aspiration to end homelessness, which is of course, extremely welcome. I have two areas of concern. One is the insufficiency of council house building that's happening at the moment, and the way in which almost every local authority seeks in their terms, to balance a development which includes then properties for sale or properties for a much higher than a social rent level. Which means that in considering things like mine, it ends up with actually the social cleansing of the entire borough, as people cannot get council housing because so much is being built for other people to make money out of.
The second issue is on the private rented sector. Whilst I welcome the end of section 21 evictions, they're still going on and they'll go on until May. Hundreds of people have been thousands actually across the country have been evicted through this process. Can she not do something to bring forward the implementation of section 20, abolition of section 21? And look at the real issue, which is of rent control within the private rented sector, because we're subsidising it through taxpayers money.
The second issue is on the private rented sector. Whilst I welcome the end of section 21 evictions, they're still going on and they'll go on until May. Hundreds of people have been thousands actually across the country have been evicted through this process. Can she not do something to bring forward the implementation of section 20, abolition of section 21? And look at the real issue, which is of rent control within the private rented sector, because we're subsidising it through taxpayers money.
13:10
Alison McGovern MP, Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government) (Birkenhead, Labour)
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Alison McGovern MP, Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government) (Birkenhead, Labour)
Mr. >> Mr. >> Thank you, Madam Deputy Speaker. I think I've responded a number of times on our ambitions on social times on our ambitions on social housing and mixed communities. And with regards to section 21, the hon. Member will have noted that we are investing more in this year to help councils respond to the crisis that we're facing now, as well as Hinchliff.
13:11
Chris Hinchliff MP (North East Hertfordshire, Labour)
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Chris Hinchliff MP (North East Hertfordshire, Labour)
Thank you, Madam Deputy Speaker, and I want to welcome the Minister's work on this really Minister's work on this really important subject. Just after we came into office, Ministers committed from the Dispatch Box to a resolution in Council House building. I have welcomed and noted the statements the Ministers made around social housing today, but she will be aware that our growing concerns around an increasing corporate ethos in housing associations, many of them have a mixed record at best, and I've heard directly from constituents about the stark contrast in security of tenure in between when they were living in a council house home and now when it's owned by a housing association.
So given that shelter are estimating nearly 400,000 people are currently homeless across the country, can the Minister set out what the government will be doing to deliver that council housing revolution in constituencies like mine?
So given that shelter are estimating nearly 400,000 people are currently homeless across the country, can the Minister set out what the government will be doing to deliver that council housing revolution in constituencies like mine?
13:12
Alison McGovern MP, Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government) (Birkenhead, Labour)
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Alison McGovern MP, Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government) (Birkenhead, Labour)
Minister thank you, Madam Deputy Speaker, and I thank my hon. Friend Speaker, and I thank my hon. Friend for his question. I think housing associations will have heard the comments that he has made today, and I'm sure that all of them aspire to treat their residents with the utmost of respect and care. But they will have heard what he has said and will want to make sure that they fulfil that ambition.
13:12
Bob Blackman MP (Harrow East, Conservative)
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Bob Blackman MP (Harrow East, Conservative)
Bob Blackman. I would remind the House that under the Homelessness Reduction Act, which was passed and implemented in 2018, 1.7 million people in this country have prevented from becoming homeless in the first place. There is also a duty to refer both on the health service, the Prison Service, the armed forces and every statutory body. If they come across people that are threatened with being homeless, they must refer them on. So the Minister now is talking about duty to, to cooperate and to to assist.
But what we must make sure, if she needs to revisit that duty to refer and put the onus on a cooperation between the two parties, that is fine. Equally, of course, she can and could implement the Supported Housing Act that I piloted through this place immediately so that the supported housing is provided, is taken away from these rogue landlords that exploit vulnerable people. And I look forward to that being implemented equally on the limited time I've had to to read this report, there doesn't seem to be a mention of the roll out of housing.
First. We know that this works. It puts a roof over people's head, and then we can build the the network of support they need to actually implement, getting them back on their feet. And finally, if she needs legislative change, my housing prevention bill will received an unopposed Second Reading in this place, but awaits government approval and also awaits a Committee stage and potential funding. So if she needs a legislative process, it's there, ready to go.
But what we must make sure, if she needs to revisit that duty to refer and put the onus on a cooperation between the two parties, that is fine. Equally, of course, she can and could implement the Supported Housing Act that I piloted through this place immediately so that the supported housing is provided, is taken away from these rogue landlords that exploit vulnerable people. And I look forward to that being implemented equally on the limited time I've had to to read this report, there doesn't seem to be a mention of the roll out of housing.
First. We know that this works. It puts a roof over people's head, and then we can build the the network of support they need to actually implement, getting them back on their feet. And finally, if she needs legislative change, my housing prevention bill will received an unopposed Second Reading in this place, but awaits government approval and also awaits a Committee stage and potential funding. So if she needs a legislative process, it's there, ready to go.
13:13
Alison McGovern MP, Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government) (Birkenhead, Labour)
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Alison McGovern MP, Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government) (Birkenhead, Labour)
Thank you, Madam Deputy Speaker. Can I can I thank the hon. Gentleman his question? And Gentleman his question? And actually, can I just thank him for his work over so many years on this issue? He mentions a number of legislative vehicles, some of which have already made a change and some of which could make a change. And and I will work with him to do what we need on the supported accommodation Bill. He will have noticed in the Budget that the Chief Secretary to the Treasury is leading some work to on value for money in that sector, and I'll write him further with some details on, on that, on the duty to collaborate.
I am sorry to say that I think that we are all aware, as constituency MPs of terrible cases where homelessness could have absolutely, clearly been prevented at a number of turns and wasn't. So I think two things are necessary. I do think we need to introduce a duty to collaborate and and work across the House to do that, but also we need transparency about results, and we know how many people present themselves to councils with a risk of homelessness. And this strategy sets out an objective to increase the prevention, increase the number of cases where homelessness is prevented.
So let's have transparency. Let's have clarity about where it's happening and where it's not. And let's make sure that councils have the tools in the box to do the job.
I am sorry to say that I think that we are all aware, as constituency MPs of terrible cases where homelessness could have absolutely, clearly been prevented at a number of turns and wasn't. So I think two things are necessary. I do think we need to introduce a duty to collaborate and and work across the House to do that, but also we need transparency about results, and we know how many people present themselves to councils with a risk of homelessness. And this strategy sets out an objective to increase the prevention, increase the number of cases where homelessness is prevented.
So let's have transparency. Let's have clarity about where it's happening and where it's not. And let's make sure that councils have the tools in the box to do the job.
13:15
Lee Pitcher MP (Doncaster East and the Isle of Axholme, Labour)
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Lee Pitcher MP (Doncaster East and the Isle of Axholme, Labour)
Lee Pitcher thank you, Madam Deputy Speaker. This is deeply, deeply personal to me because I was deeply personal to me because I was one of those children 34 years ago, sat on a double mattress in a room doing my GCSE revision, my coursework, and then having to sleep next to my mum and sister in a room while all that was going on. And that's why today so remarkably important. And I'm so proud to stand here and be able to hear that we are going to do something about this, because I can tell this House, when that happens to you, you feel alone, you feel isolated, you feel no one cares, and your dignity and self-respect sits in somebody else's hands.
So there are thousands of children out there today who are in cramped B&Bs. I'm so glad that Labour, the the Labour Party is going to end. The Labour government is going to end that unlawful practice and protect those families from being placed in those
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unsafe, unsuitable conditions. Yeah. So massively important for me is my patience. It runs out all the time on this. What is the timeline like to stop that happening to
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like to stop that happening to those children in B&Bs? Thank you, Madam Deputy Speaker,
So there are thousands of children out there today who are in cramped B&Bs. I'm so glad that Labour, the the Labour Party is going to end. The Labour government is going to end that unlawful practice and protect those families from being placed in those
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unsafe, unsuitable conditions. Yeah. So massively important for me is my patience. It runs out all the time on this. What is the timeline like to stop that happening to
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like to stop that happening to those children in B&Bs? Thank you, Madam Deputy Speaker,
13:16
Alison McGovern MP, Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government) (Birkenhead, Labour)
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Alison McGovern MP, Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government) (Birkenhead, Labour)
>> Thank you, Madam Deputy Speaker, and I thank my hon. Friend for his contribution. I think children who are stuck in inappropriate B&Bs are stuck in inappropriate B&Bs should know that they've got a champion in this house. They should know that there's someone who's been there too, and that they should know that they're not alone. And can I say the timeline for getting kids out of B&Bs is that we will end the use of B&B accommodation by the end of the Parliament.
In all but the most extreme cases, an absolute emergency. But you know, it's already the law that children are not supposed to be in B&Bs for more than six weeks. It's been the law for 20 years. So what on earth is going on in this country when there are 2000 children in such a situation? So I would say to him, let's work together, let's do something about it. Let's bring those numbers down very quickly.
In all but the most extreme cases, an absolute emergency. But you know, it's already the law that children are not supposed to be in B&Bs for more than six weeks. It's been the law for 20 years. So what on earth is going on in this country when there are 2000 children in such a situation? So I would say to him, let's work together, let's do something about it. Let's bring those numbers down very quickly.
13:17
David Williams MP (Stoke-on-Trent North, Labour)
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David Williams MP (Stoke-on-Trent North, Labour)
Yes, David Williams. >> Yes, David Williams. >> Thank you, Madam Deputy Speaker, before entering this place, I spent nearly two decades working for the nearly two decades working for the YMCA. And I have to say respectfully to the members opposite, the hon. Members opposite, that their cuts had consequences. It's quite clear as year after year that money was being taken away. It's no wonder that roughly doubled. More than doubled, actually, since 2010. So I warmly welcome this statement today, and I want to pay particular attention to the importance of listening to people who have had lived experience.
We've heard about some of the lived experience today. It's important they help to shape our services and solutions. Now in Stoke on Trent, expert citizens under the leadership of Darren and Andy Meakin, is led by people with lived experience, homelessness, mental health, addiction problems and they use their voices to help shape local services. So my question to the Minister do you agree with me that we must do all we can to support organisations like expert citizens to continue to do the excellent work they do?
We've heard about some of the lived experience today. It's important they help to shape our services and solutions. Now in Stoke on Trent, expert citizens under the leadership of Darren and Andy Meakin, is led by people with lived experience, homelessness, mental health, addiction problems and they use their voices to help shape local services. So my question to the Minister do you agree with me that we must do all we can to support organisations like expert citizens to continue to do the excellent work they do?
13:18
Alison McGovern MP, Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government) (Birkenhead, Labour)
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Alison McGovern MP, Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government) (Birkenhead, Labour)
Thank you, Madam Deputy Speaker, and I do thank my friend for his and I do thank my friend for his question, and I do agree with him and the fact that I and the ministerial team who produced this report agree with him, can be evidenced by the foreword that's been written by the people who didn't just come to Ministers and give their experience and say what they've been through. They did do that. They also shaped policy. And that is exactly how it should be.
And I thank the hon. Member for reminding us of that.
And I thank the hon. Member for reminding us of that.
13:19
Dr Lauren Sullivan MP (Gravesham, Labour)
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Dr Lauren Sullivan MP (Gravesham, Labour)
Lauren Sullivan. homelessness. I've met with many and heard many harrowing stories from constituents in Gravesham, so this is a welcome step. There aren't enough council homes and where councils need to use private temporary accommodation, so many of them are poor quality. And yet these landlords are taking that public money. The additional funds are therefore welcome so we can expand the council homes. Would the Minister consider visiting Gravesham to so that she can see these ambitious plans for herself to help end homelessness?
13:19
Alison McGovern MP, Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government) (Birkenhead, Labour)
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Alison McGovern MP, Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government) (Birkenhead, Labour)
Minister. >> Minister. >> Thank you, Madam Deputy Speaker, I'd like to thank my hon. Friend for his for her question. She makes a really, really important point about the use of taxpayers money, and she will have heard in responses that I've already given, that the Chief Secretary to the Treasury is leading some work across Ministers to get underneath some value for money questions in the provision of support for people who would be homeless. And I think that's really important, because we can't afford to waste a penny in this mission.
And I would be constituency.
And I would be constituency.
13:20
Mark Sewards MP (Leeds South West and Morley, Labour)
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Mark Sewards MP (Leeds South West and Morley, Labour)
Mark Sewards. >> Thank you very much, Madam Deputy Speaker. I thank the Minister for the strategy today and agree with his stated aims. I agree with his stated aims. I especially welcome the ending of the use of the unlawful use of bnbs for families, and I think we've already heard the case so powerfully stated by my hon. Friend the members for Uxbridge and South Ruislip, and the Member for Doncaster East in the Isle of Axholme. It was just why that is so important.
Now in Morley, I'm supporting my team and I supporting a particularly complex case of an individual who is homeless. But while the details are complex, the outcome is simple. They're sleeping in shop doors across. Morley. Would the Minister consider meeting with me to discuss this case, to ensure that this strategy will cover them so that we can get them off the streets and into a home?
Now in Morley, I'm supporting my team and I supporting a particularly complex case of an individual who is homeless. But while the details are complex, the outcome is simple. They're sleeping in shop doors across. Morley. Would the Minister consider meeting with me to discuss this case, to ensure that this strategy will cover them so that we can get them off the streets and into a home?
13:21
13:21
Dr Scott Arthur MP (Edinburgh South West, Labour)
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Dr Scott Arthur MP (Edinburgh South West, Labour)
Thank you. Speaker. And I do thank the Minister for her statement, and I hope she'll accept my apology for being a little bit late. I missed the first few seconds I have. I have read it, I've read it. So. And a few hours I'll be getting the train back to Scotland. And this is a place where Scottish Labour recently forced the Scottish Government to declare a housing emergency, made worse by the fact that they had cut the affordable housing Budget in Scotland by 37% between 2023 and 2025.
Hundreds of households are in hostels and B&Bs in Edinburgh, and we are now in a crazy situation where the council is going to use tourist tax income to build houses, to move homeless people out of B&Bs and put them in those houses so that tourists can actually get into B&Bs where they should be. It's absolutely incredible. So I'm sure my constituents will be listening. I've listened to your statement with envy, and also be thinking about how that money could be spent in Scotland if the government had the same kind of ambition.
So I do thank you for the statement, but she will know when it comes to homelessness, one of the categories of people that people are most concerned about is veterans. And you did talk about public services and public institutions, and I know the MoD's doing great work to prevent veterans from becoming homeless and supporting them when they are. But is your strategy doing?
Hundreds of households are in hostels and B&Bs in Edinburgh, and we are now in a crazy situation where the council is going to use tourist tax income to build houses, to move homeless people out of B&Bs and put them in those houses so that tourists can actually get into B&Bs where they should be. It's absolutely incredible. So I'm sure my constituents will be listening. I've listened to your statement with envy, and also be thinking about how that money could be spent in Scotland if the government had the same kind of ambition.
So I do thank you for the statement, but she will know when it comes to homelessness, one of the categories of people that people are most concerned about is veterans. And you did talk about public services and public institutions, and I know the MoD's doing great work to prevent veterans from becoming homeless and supporting them when they are. But is your strategy doing?
13:22
Alison McGovern MP, Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government) (Birkenhead, Labour)
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Alison McGovern MP, Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government) (Birkenhead, Labour)
I mean, it's. >> I mean, it's. >> The Minister strategy, sorry. >> I'd like to thank Madam Deputy
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I'd like to thank Madam Deputy Speaker the my hon. Friend, for his Speaker the my hon. Friend, for his question. He's right, of course. The great city of Edinburgh deserves a lot better in so many ways and I support all that he has said. And I long for the day when we can have a pan UK, including Scottish Labour Strategy to end Homelessness where we work together, which we will do. I would just say to him on veterans, it it will be important to us all to know that people who've served our country are supported in every aspect of their life afterwards, and it is an absolute disaster if former member of the armed forces experiences homelessness.
That's why the MoD have played a full part in the creation of this strategy. I've spoken to the Minister for veterans directly about it, and through her work and other things, we're making sure that we've got the care and support for veterans that is needed
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best. And that concludes the statement.
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And that concludes the statement. I'll just give the front benches a I'll just give the front benches a few moments to to cross over. And few moments to to cross over. And we now come to the backbench debate on Saint Andrew's Day and Scottish affairs. And I call Graeme Downie, who will speak for up to 15 minutes. Graeme Downie. Graeme Downie.
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I'd like to thank Madam Deputy Speaker the my hon. Friend, for his Speaker the my hon. Friend, for his question. He's right, of course. The great city of Edinburgh deserves a lot better in so many ways and I support all that he has said. And I long for the day when we can have a pan UK, including Scottish Labour Strategy to end Homelessness where we work together, which we will do. I would just say to him on veterans, it it will be important to us all to know that people who've served our country are supported in every aspect of their life afterwards, and it is an absolute disaster if former member of the armed forces experiences homelessness.
That's why the MoD have played a full part in the creation of this strategy. I've spoken to the Minister for veterans directly about it, and through her work and other things, we're making sure that we've got the care and support for veterans that is needed
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best. And that concludes the statement.
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And that concludes the statement. I'll just give the front benches a I'll just give the front benches a few moments to to cross over. And few moments to to cross over. And we now come to the backbench debate on Saint Andrew's Day and Scottish affairs. And I call Graeme Downie, who will speak for up to 15 minutes. Graeme Downie. Graeme Downie.
13:24
Graeme Downie MP (Dunfermline and Dollar, Labour)
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Graeme Downie MP (Dunfermline and Dollar, Labour)
mark Saint Andrew's Day today and to discuss Scottish affairs. Madam Deputy Speaker, as a five MP, I will of course, begin by noting that we have the town of Saint Andrews at the opposite end, from my own part of the Kingdom, and my own part of the Kingdom, and it's always a pleasure to see the Member for North East Fife in her place. Obviously not as important place. Obviously not as important or as beautiful as anywhere in Dunfermline and Dollar, but a place long associated with Scotland's patron saint and of course, famous patron saint and of course, famous for being the home of golf.
Madam. Madam Deputy Speaker, across Scotland we celebrate not only our connection to Saint Andrew, but the thread that runs through our national story a generous spirit, a quiet strength and a belief that community, work and learning can change lives. As the Member for Dunfermline and Dollar, I see those qualities every day in the people and the places that have shaped our history and will build our future. And today I want to talk in three parts Scotland as it was, Scotland as it is, and Scotland as it could be.
In doing so, I will speak to the opportunities that different generations have experienced, to the prospects that Scotland now must champion, the importance of our infrastructure and the lessons we can take from Saint Andrew's life itself. I will also celebrate organisations. Sorry, I'm happy to
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MoD. Thank you very much. I thank the hon. Member for giving way, hon. Member for giving way, especially so early in his speech. But he talks about Scotland as we were. Does he share my concern that were. Does he share my concern that too often our history has been oversimplified, over romanticised oversimplified, over romanticised and focussed on William Wallace, Robert Bruce and this entanglement Robert Bruce and this entanglement with England, and hasn't looked at Scotland's contribution not only to British history, but to world history and our achievements in the
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the engineering field, for example. Yeah. Can I thank the hon. Member for her intervention and indeed for her intervention and indeed for sponsoring this application to the Backbench Business Committee? She has anticipated one of the points has anticipated one of the points that I will be making later on, and I should say my speech does not mention either of the key figures in Scottish history that she in Scottish history that she mentions, but does, however, mention any many others. And in this speech I will embody some of this speech I will embody some of those other names that particularly associate with my part of the world like King Malcolm, Saint Margaret
Madam. Madam Deputy Speaker, across Scotland we celebrate not only our connection to Saint Andrew, but the thread that runs through our national story a generous spirit, a quiet strength and a belief that community, work and learning can change lives. As the Member for Dunfermline and Dollar, I see those qualities every day in the people and the places that have shaped our history and will build our future. And today I want to talk in three parts Scotland as it was, Scotland as it is, and Scotland as it could be.
In doing so, I will speak to the opportunities that different generations have experienced, to the prospects that Scotland now must champion, the importance of our infrastructure and the lessons we can take from Saint Andrew's life itself. I will also celebrate organisations. Sorry, I'm happy to
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MoD. Thank you very much. I thank the hon. Member for giving way, hon. Member for giving way, especially so early in his speech. But he talks about Scotland as we were. Does he share my concern that were. Does he share my concern that too often our history has been oversimplified, over romanticised oversimplified, over romanticised and focussed on William Wallace, Robert Bruce and this entanglement Robert Bruce and this entanglement with England, and hasn't looked at Scotland's contribution not only to British history, but to world history and our achievements in the
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the engineering field, for example. Yeah. Can I thank the hon. Member for her intervention and indeed for her intervention and indeed for sponsoring this application to the Backbench Business Committee? She has anticipated one of the points has anticipated one of the points that I will be making later on, and I should say my speech does not mention either of the key figures in Scottish history that she in Scottish history that she mentions, but does, however, mention any many others. And in this speech I will embody some of this speech I will embody some of those other names that particularly associate with my part of the world like King Malcolm, Saint Margaret