Part of 1. Questions to the First Minister – in the Senedd at 2:33 pm on 16 January 2018.
Labour-controlled Newport City Council are seeking to amend their public space protection order to include a blanket 'no begging' restriction, as part of a crackdown on aggressive or intimidating begging. It's the view of homelessness charity Wallich that aggressive begging is already prohibited under the existing PSPO and that shifting begging off the streets will only make it harder to provide support for those people who need help with homelessness services. Although the hands of the Welsh Government are tied in terms of preventing local authorities from imposing these restrictions, can you please give us your view on such blanket bans on begging, and can you issue guidance to local authorities, urging them to seek a much more compassionate response?