Thank you, Deputy Presiding Officer. Deputy Presiding Officer, I’m happy to support the motion, which reflects the work already being done by Welsh Government and councils and our shared commitment to take this further. Preventing homelessness and addressing its root cause remains a priority for this Government. This is particularly important where there are children in the household. Homelessness or the threat of it can have a devastating effect on adults, and a profound impact on children. It can create pressures that damage people’s health and well-being, which lead to children suffering from those adverse childhood experiences—it can affect them for the rest of their lives. This is an issue that should concern everyone and we see here that we’re deeply committed to tackling it.

Many people will have seen and been moved by Channel 5’s recent production of ‘Slum Britain: 50 Years On’. Although I’m grateful that things are improving in Wales we are well aware that there is much more to be done. Evictions from housing are a significant contributory factor leading directly to homelessness, and these were positive overall trends in 2015, with declining possessions, claims and orders, and falls in both mortgage repossessions and eviction warrants. Unfortunately, there was an increase, however, of 8 per cent in private landlord repossession orders, which we need to address.

Our reform of homelessness legislation in Wales—the 2014 Act—has created a new framework that ensures every household will be helped both in terms of preventing them becoming homeless wherever possible, and in terms of assisting those who do lose their homes. Local authorities have duties to help people who are threatened with homelessness due to eviction or for any other reason, and they’re expected to intervene as early as possible. It’s vital that work goes on with support agencies and landlords to identify people at risk across all sectors, particularly if they have children.

There needs to be greater recognition of how and why people become homeless so that potential problems can be addressed, Llywydd, and help provided at the earliest possible stages. We need agencies across the public sector to work better together, effective housing solutions, and the necessary support to help people live as independently as possible and be able to sustain their accommodation. The support needed includes many areas within my portfolio, including financial advice, community safety and the private rented sector. Where families with children are threatened with eviction, there must, of course, be close working with social services to ensure the needs of children are safeguarded.

We must promote awareness of services that can help people if they get into difficulty. One of the most common causes of homelessness is rent arrears, which has been mentioned by many today. This is why we’re developing a national advice strategy to connect people to independent advice where and when this is needed. The funding we provide to Shelter Cymru and to Citizens Advice Cymru ensures people can get specialist advice to help them keep their homes.

Shelter Cymru recently published a report on access to and sustaining social tenancies. They identified some failings in the way organisations work together to avoid evictions. Social landlords should only use eviction as a very last resort, and after every possible alternative has been exhausted. As I’ve said, eviction is most often the result of rent arrears and the intensive support and advice services should be engaged assertively to rescue the tenancy. We’re following up on this report and its recommendations with stakeholders to ensure everything possible is being done to minimise evictions and prevent homelessness taking place.

Llywydd, we’re also going to have to work even harder to mitigate the issues of welfare reform. The welfare reform changes that Jenny mentioned, introduced to date, have already generated new pressures that can lead to homelessness. I’m concerned that these pressures will grow further with the gradual roll-out of universal credit and the additional restrictions placed on the benefit entitlements of 18 to 35-year-olds. Further welfare reform by the UK Government will increase the risk of families losing their homes. These changes will put even more pressure on households living on a low income. Independent evidence suggests it will place even more children at risk of poverty and homelessness.

Preventing homelessness also needs to become even more embedded within the planning and delivery of housing-related support services. The Supporting People programme will also continue to be at the heart of our commitment to help vulnerable groups. I’m looking forward to the programme making an even greater contribution towards preventing homelessness, including an expectation that anyone at risk of eviction is offered support to retain their tenancy.

We all recognise that evictions cannot always be avoided however, particularly in the private rented sector, and we need to ensure people are helped to find alternative accommodation as soon as possible. This isn’t always easy and that’s why we’ve committed to an ambitious target of providing a further 20,000 affordable homes during this Government.

Llywydd, in particular at this time of year, around Christmas, we should be very aware of people losing their homes—potentially losing their homes—and in particular children. I’m sure all Members of this Chamber are very committed to tackling this very issue. We will continue to focus on those issues that affect the well-being of families and children, including financial resilience, through employment, the promotion of mental health and a legal and policy framework that ensures everything is done to avoid these evictions. We will be supporting this motion today.