5. 5. Statement: The Innovative Housing Programme

Part of the debate – in the Senedd at 5:10 pm on 24 October 2017.

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Photo of Carl Sargeant Carl Sargeant Labour 5:10, 24 October 2017

I’m grateful for the Member’s question and thank her for her positive contribution. Two important points: the financing of this has been part of the business models that have been brought forward to us. We are trialling new examples of how, from investment to delivery of a model, that’s coming out. We’ve broken the traditional mould and we’re trying to break the myth of why we should do it like this. There is some risk in that, but we’re prepared to take that risk because we can deliver housing solutions quickly. In terms of the LHA point, the Member is absolutely right: there is a huge amount of people at risk because of welfare reform in the UK—the under-35s particularly. The sector is responding to that by the ability to create smaller units that are appropriate to live in. We are helping them. There will be some projects, when the Member sees the list, that, (1), she will be enthusiastic about, I believe, because of her constituency interest, but also the issue of the under-35s. There are some very specific projects around helping and supporting individuals in that space.