Calais and Dunkirk: Refugee Children

Debate between Baroness Williams of Trafford and Baroness Howarth of Breckland

Tuesday 6th September 2016 Lords Chamber

[Baroness Howarth of Breckland (CB)]

My Lords, I have not seen these children but I have worked in childcare for more years, probably, than most Members of this House. It is appalling that our country and our Government leave these children in such conditions. Every day there are media reports clearly showing the terrible conditions. We know that there are children there of 10 and under and that there are children who have the right to come and be with their families. Local authorities were often accused of bureaucracy in their childcare. Surely the Government will not have a whole lot of bureaucracy to prevent children being saved from this coming winter.

[Baroness Williams of Trafford]

My Lords, we all want the same thing for these children: for them to be safe and to be in an environment that is in their best interests, away from the Jungle in Calais. This Government are working tirelessly with the French Government to ensure that those processes are expedited as quickly as possible.

Homelessness: Rough Sleeping

Debate between Baroness Williams of Trafford and Baroness Howarth of Breckland

Monday 7th March 2016 Lords Chamber

[Baroness Williams of Trafford]

My Lords, it is important that we provide housing of all types of tenure: houses for social rent, as the noble Baroness pointed out; affordable homes; starter homes; shared ownership; Help to Buy schemes; Build to Rent—all the different schemes in place under this Government which we have doubled the housing budget to £20 billion to provide.

[Baroness Howarth of Breckland (CB)]

My Lords, as the Minister says, it is indeed a complex problem. Does she know how many of those sleeping rough have serious mental health problems? What projects are available to go out to those people to try to get them back under cover, when their mental health problems are one of the reasons for them not doing so?

[Baroness Williams of Trafford]

The noble Baroness raises a very pertinent point—a point which the noble Baroness, Lady Grender, has spoken about previously. This Government have committed to put in place £1 billion per year to help alleviate mental health problems. One of the worrying features that we have seen over the last few years is the rise in cases of young people in mental health programmes. The £40 million Homelessness Change and Platform for Life programmes help to deliver new low-cost housing for young people at the risk of homelessness, and it supports their transition into adulthood.

Women in the Workplace

Debate between Baroness Williams of Trafford and Baroness Howarth of Breckland

Thursday 9th July 2015 Lords Chamber

[Baroness Williams of Trafford]

My Lords, the introduction of those rents recognises that people on higher salaries should be able to play their part in contributing to rents.

[Baroness Howarth of Breckland (CB)]

My Lords, the noble Baroness mentioned free childcare. As I understand it, free childcare will not come into operation until 2017 for those who are working the extra hours. How will that help families immediately, who will find that they are extremely short in a working week?

[Baroness Williams of Trafford]

My Lords, free childcare is already in operation. Its extension will be in operation in due course.

Local Government Funding

Debate between Baroness Williams of Trafford and Baroness Howarth of Breckland

Wednesday 8th July 2015 Lords Chamber

[Baroness Williams of Trafford]

My Lords, social care is certainly a demand-led service. A more joined-up approach would be beneficial to councils, the NHS, patients and care users—hence the devolution of health and social care to Greater Manchester.

[Baroness Howarth of Breckland (CB)]

My Lords, has the noble Baroness seen the recent report from the Local Government Association which says that by 2020 there will be a £9 billion funding gap and local government will have to make choices between children’s services, services for the elderly, mending roads and all the other services, including deciding whether to put out the lights in the streets? Does she accept that there has to be a stop in the cuts to ensure that these choices will not have to be made?

[Baroness Williams of Trafford]

My Lords, the Government are encouraging councils to be innovative. They are rewarding those councils for their innovation and putting more power in the hands of local people—hence some of the devolution deals—to deliver their services more efficiently.

Housing Associations: Right to Buy

Debate between Baroness Williams of Trafford and Baroness Howarth of Breckland

Tuesday 9th June 2015 Lords Chamber

[Baroness Williams of Trafford]

My Lords, we have significantly dealt with the issue of empty properties. I shall get my noble friend the exact figures on the number of empty properties that have been brought back into use, but I can confirm to him that it is significant.

[Baroness Howarth of Breckland (CB)]

My Lords, many of the houses developed through specialist housing associations have very expensive adaptations, many of them paid for by charitable donations and donors. Does the Minister not think that this is an area where there might be some protection to ensure that these houses move on to other severely disabled people when they are vacated?

[Baroness Williams of Trafford]

My Lords, I am sure the intention in this area will be set out in due course.