5. Will the Cabinet Secretary make a statement on homelessness in Ynys Môn? (OAQ51027) [W]

Our focus on prevention is having a positive impact in both Ynys Môn and the rest of Wales. In total, we have prevented 10,300 households from becoming homeless. We are continuing to support services in Ynys Môn to support those who are homeless, rough sleeping or at risk of homelessness.

Thank you. This month, I met with staff and managers of some of the organisations and charities that do excellent work on Anglesey in tackling and dealing with homelessness, including The Wallich and Digartref Môn, and Gorwel, also. Unfortunately, being asked to do more and more with reducing resources means that they are now reaching a point where it is entirely impossible to achieve, and the threat of a cut to the Supporting People fund from the Welsh Government risks undoing and undermining much of the good work that is and has been done in Anglesey and other parts of Wales. Does the Minister recognise that fact and accept that if the Welsh Government doesn’t maintain the financial support for these organisations they will be making a grave error and putting pressure on some of the most vulnerable people in our society?

Well, I agree with the Member’s concerns about how the Supporting People budget helps many homeless people not just in his own constituency, but right across Wales. But there is no guarantee as this point in the budget stages that I can protect Supporting People or other elements of funding in my budget. It’s a very difficult financial settlement we find ourselves in, and I will have to make that decision as we move forward to 3 October, but I’m sure I have listened very carefully to those concerned, of the significant lobby that’s out there in the Supporting People field.

I endorse that point. The Welsh Government has said it’s not possible to make comparisons of numbers of eligible households between 2015-16 and 2016-17 because of issues of data quality of the 2015-16 figures, and of course changes to the returns for 2016-17 with the new legislation. We hope figures of suitable or sufficient data quality will be available soon. However, in the five preceding years, the number of homeless households on Anglesey fell from 125 to 45. It also fell in places like Gwynedd, Wrexham and Torfaen, but they increased in places like Neath Port Talbot, from 140 to 195, and Flintshire, from 55 to 95. What consideration have you given to establishing why we’re getting these different patterns in different parts of Wales, irrespective of the political colour of the councils at the time?

Yes, and the Member is right on what he raises around the data collection. What I’ve asked the team to do is look at, specifically, all areas to have some sort of consistency about interpretation and measurement and how that looks. It may be that it is about interpretation of what that looks like to individual reporting. I fear that we have to have more consistency around data and therefore are able to put investments in the appropriate places where that data has spiked or is increasing.

Cabinet Secretary, winter’s fast approaching and there’s going to be many people in Llandudno and along the north Wales coast and elsewhere who are going to be forced to rough-sleep this winter because they’ve literally got nowhere else to go. What measures have you put in place already to ensure that these people are helped into safe, secure, warm accommodation—and long-term accommodation—before winter actually sets in this year?

I’ve asked all authorities to prepare a cold weather plan for homelessness and rough sleeping to ensure that there are facilities available for trigger points within the winter period. I would also ask the Member to also consider her party’s position on where we are now: about to introduce the ending of the right to buy, which protects social housing stock in Wales. Therefore, it would be really good if the Member could consider supporting that Bill as opposed to objecting with her Conservative friends.