Carl Sargeant: Thank you, Deputy Llywydd. ‘Prosperity for All’ makes clear this Government’s intention to improve the prosperity and well-being of individuals, families and communities. Housing is one of the five cross-cutting priority areas identified in the strategy and underpins the delivery of many other strategic goals. People need good-quality homes throughout their lives. They give a child a...
Carl Sargeant: I thank the Member for Ogmore for his questions. I launched the national pathway for ex-service personnel in November 2016. We continue to champion the approach through the recent publication of supporting leaflets, posters and advice cards, so that anyone needing accommodation can get access to the support that they need.
Carl Sargeant: I think what we are seeing is that we’re learning from experience. I said to Vikki Howells early on about dealing with ex-service personnel—it’s a variable process because people’s needs are all different. We have to understand that better. What we are really pleased with about the housing pathway is that local authorities and housing associations are picking up the gauntlet here, and...
Carl Sargeant: I’m grateful to the Member for raising that with me. I will ask my anti-human trafficking co-ordinator to meet with the Member in order for her to explain that to him, and I will act accordingly on his advice.
Carl Sargeant: Oh, believe me, human trafficking is alive in the UK, and we are the only part of the country that has an anti-human trafficking co-ordinator. My team work incredibly hard with the police and other agencies to ensure that we are trying to keep on top of this issue, but we are part of a larger island. I would encourage the Member and other Members to speak with other parts of the...
Carl Sargeant: Well, the Member’s right: the code is a first for Wales, along with many other things, and a first for the UK. Along with the supporting guidance, it provides a practical means for tackling unfair, unethical and illegal practices, including modern-day slavery. However, the lead Member for this is my colleague the Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Local Government. I will ask him to write to...
Carl Sargeant: I thank the Member for her question. Today is Anti-slavery Day, and anti-slavery events and activities are happening across Wales to raise awareness of this. It is by raising awareness and improving reporting that perpetrators can be brought to justice and, importantly, victims can be offered support.
Carl Sargeant: I’m grateful for the Member’s question. I genuinely—. When I get questions, the Member raises this on a regular basis, and that’s encouraging in terms of his commitment too. The fact of the matter is that we do do many things that mitigate the issues and effects that happen as a result of Westminster decisions, but, as I said earlier, making sure that we have the finances to support...
Carl Sargeant: I’m deeply concerned about the devastating impact of universal credit on those who are left waiting for six weeks or more for their first payments. I’ve written to the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions calling for the roll-out of universal credit full service to be paused.
Carl Sargeant: Well, that’s, again, another long-standing discussion point of this Assembly. I would be quite keen to further debate that with the Member and others to make sure that this is the right thing to do. What concerns me about champions in organisations is that, often, it’s a badge or a title. Actually, what I’m really keen on is making sure that those champions turn their duty into action....
Carl Sargeant: I don’t disagree wholeheartedly with the Member in terms of bringing the administration to Wales. However, what does concern me is the UK Government’s inability to service that with the appropriate funding behind it. I think I’d be very interested to have further discussions. The First Minister’s been very clear about powers coming to the Assembly without finances to support them. I...
Carl Sargeant: Diolch. Our child poverty strategy sets out our objectives for tackling child poverty. We are committed to a whole-Government approach to tackling child poverty and we are taking action to ensure that every child has the best start in life.
Carl Sargeant: That’s where we are placed at the moment, with the consultation on the fit-and-proper person and fit-and-proper accommodation consultation that we are undertaking.
Carl Sargeant: This was a long discussion piece of the Housing (Wales) Act 2014 as we took it through the Assembly in the previous term. Can I say to the Member that the Renting Homes (Wales) Act 2016, whilst retaining the ability for a landlord to serve a two-month notice, will offer greater protection for contract holders through the Act’s retaliatory eviction process? So, there is a part of the Act...
Carl Sargeant: We do not collect specific data on section 21 notices. However, we have introduced new requirements regarding their use, and landlords must be registered with Rent Smart Wales. In addition, the Renting Homes (Wales) Act 2016 will provide additional protection to contract holders on the use of landlords’ notices.
Carl Sargeant: I share the Member’s concern around this, and we are doing work with David Melding, who chairs an advisory group for us looking at the intense vulnerability of young people put in either fostering or adoption care, and we are seeking advice on what more we can do to help with this. This is not always about cash, by the way. This is often about support mechanisms—sometimes third sector or...
Carl Sargeant: Yes, I do. Indeed, I met with the NSPCC and had a briefing on that particular campaign that they’ve launched. And, you’re right, it does complement the TalkParenting campaign that we’ve launched as Welsh Government. We must continue to work together proactively in supporting parents across our communities, and I’m grateful the Member raised that with me today.
Carl Sargeant: I’m grateful for the Member for Torfaen’s question. Positive parenting is fundamental to our cross-cutting priority of early years within ‘Prosperity for All’. We support every local authority in Wales to provide a range of parenting support encompassing universally available information and advice. Parenting groups and targeted and intensive early intervention through Flying Start...
Carl Sargeant: I’m grateful for the Member’s question, an important one about how we move from a service position to the public and private sector, which can, for some, be a very difficult transition. We’re working with the Career Transition Partnership on discharge. I indeed also met with an ex-service user in Dawn Bowden’s constituency, who had moved from ex-service personnel to an excellent...
Carl Sargeant: I’m grateful to the Member and thank him for the work that he does on the cross-party group on armed forces also. I can’t commit to a financial reward for this group. I do recognise the work that they do in our communities. I think what we are looking at as a Government body is looking at the very high-level interventions that we can support—the more lower, but meaningful intervention...
