7. Plaid Cymru debate: Housing for the homeless

Part of the debate – in the Senedd at 5:40 pm on 10 January 2018.

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Photo of John Griffiths John Griffiths Labour 5:40, 10 January 2018

It is a problem all over Wales and far beyond Wales, and there's a lively debate going on in Newport, and I'm sure in other parts of Wales, as to what the best approach is. I'm engaging in that debate at the moment. One positive aspect of it, I think, is Newport Now BID, which is an organisation involving lots of the city-centre traders, taking forward a proposal for diverted giving, which I think is very positive in many ways and does involve different agencies. So, that would encourage people to give money to shops taking part in the scheme. They would have posters identifying their participation and that money then would go to agencies who would provide greater support and assistance for those in Newport who are sleeping rough. That is an alternative, then, to giving money directly to the people on the streets, which might actually continue their problems of substance misuse, for example. So, there are imaginative ideas around in Newport, and, as I say, a lively debate going on at the moment.

Dirprwy Lywydd, one other matter I'd like to refer to before my allocated time expires in the Chamber is prison leavers. I know, again, there is a lively debate around this. Changes have taken place in terms of the housing Act that removed automatic priority for prison leavers, and I know that many of the organisations in the sector are very concerned about this. I too am concerned about it because the statistics seem to be showing an increase in rough-sleeping and homelessness for prison leavers. I think we could all easily understand the consequences of that in terms of more crime, more victims of crime, problems for those prison leavers and society in general, and indeed additional costs to the public purse. So, if that is the case, if Welsh Government does agree that there has been or there is that trend, then I would hope very much and expect that Welsh Government will look at that problem and perhaps review what has been done and see how we can address those problems as we go forward, because I think that is a major concern for those organisations, and it certainly is for me also.