7. Plaid Cymru debate: Housing for the homeless

Part of the debate – in the Senedd at 6:15 pm on 10 January 2018.

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Photo of Bethan Sayed Bethan Sayed Plaid Cymru 6:15, 10 January 2018

What I didn't hear very convincingly from the Minister, I'm afraid, is the issue with regard to ring-fencing of Supporting People. We heard Leanne Wood intervene and ask you whether you had decided to ring-fence. You were pushed for clarity but you still have not made up your mind. And I think that those in the sector and us on these benches would be concerned about that, because from where I sit—or stand at the moment—that is why we agreed to that budget agreement, knowing that the sector had specifically said that we need to ring-fence that money. We can talk about effectiveness of programmes and such, but ring-fencing that makes sense in relation to how we can ensure that that money goes to the right places. We know from experiences elsewhere that, if it's put into a general budget, it may be used in other places, and it may then—I've got the Welsh word in my brain, glastwreiddio—it may diminish the effect of the policy intention. So, we will have to pursue this once again, I'm afraid. 

I hear what David Melding said in relation to the auditor general's report and that it is a challenging area, and I think it's for us all to read that report and to take those complex and overlapping issues into regard, especially in relation to the future generations Act. 

With regard to the contribution from Siân Gwenllian, I'm pleased that there will be a meeting in Gwynedd to look at some of these solutions in relation to rough-sleeping. It shows that we're taking a proactive approach, that you as a local Assembly Member are trying to tackle that head-on. 

In relation to what was said by John Griffiths, I never doubt your commitment to this issue and I'm pleased that the committee will be looking into rough-sleeping, but I do take note of what Simon Thomas said in relation to his intervention and the way in which Newport City Council could potentially disperse homeless people in the centre of Newport. You will know that Jeremy Corbyn was only attacking the Tory council for doing the very same very recently, so perhaps we should have a consistent approach. If this is going to happen then it's a bad thing to happen wherever it takes place and should be condemned as such in that regard. And I've taken part in some of those experiences, and I think some of those innovative practices that are put forward by Wallich are something that we should take on board much more seriously. 

Again, Leanne talked about housing first and the menu of options that that can provide, and Supporting People and the interventions that we've made as a party—the third time we've made an intervention to try and ensure that that money is ring-fenced. And I'm sure we will be saying that time and time again.  

Caroline Jones mentioned prisoners and former prisoners, as did Julie Morgan, and I think it's important that we remove the priority need for that very reason. We need to ensure that where people fall out of priority need that they too can have the support that they require in our society. Julie Morgan also mentioned, I think, a text that one of the Labour councillors sent out to people about Shelter. I'm just wondering how many people maybe couldn't access that because they didn't have the appropriate technology, was it sent out by a phone, and how can that be done differently in future. I don't want to make it too party political, but what I did read at the time was that one councillor was telling people not to protest but to get involved in charitable campaigning. Well, I don't think it's an either/or in relation to homelessness. If people want to protest because these issues are something that is passionate for them, then they should be able to do that, as well as help Shelter and Wallich and whatever other organisation is out there. And I don't think it was a very helpful comment to have made at that time. 

Rhun obviously talked about the costs, and I think was very eloquent in saying about the fact that the cost implications of homelessness far outweigh the benefits, so we need to put the preventative practices and preventative actions in place so that it will cost less in the long term, and using those examples not only from America but from home shows us that that can be done. 

I think that what we've got here today is a commitment by everybody to show that this is a priority, but we need to put that work into practice collectively, and I hope that's something that we can do across the board. What I think we need to consider also is how we engage with those people who are actually rough-sleeping at the moment, and who are on our streets at the moment. I was in Cardiff the other week and I gave some food to a homeless person, and, as soon as I gave it to him, a policeman came and moved him away from the shopping centre in question. I think, if we're going to move them away, we need to ensure that we know where they're going, and they're not going to somewhere that could be potentially more harmful for them in the long term. Diolch yn fawr iawn.