Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:

To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what plans he has for the future of the homelessness gold standard programme.

The Homelessness Gold Standard programme is a voluntary, sector-led initiative delivered by the National Practitioner Support Service and hosted by Winchester City Council to support local authorities to improve the effectiveness of homelessness prevention services. We provided £2.2 million between 2013/14 and 2014/15 to kick start the programme and help to get the scheme off the ground. Nearly all councils in England have signed up to working toward the Gold Standard, thus enabling them to access the support and good practice the programme offers. There are no current plans for future spending.