Thank you very much. I really do welcome the opportunity to respond to this important debate and I'm very grateful to the committee for their examination of rough-sleeping. As I set out in my evidence to the committee, I do recognise that homelessness takes many forms and the majority of people who are homeless are not on the streets—they're staying with friends, family or in other temporary accommodation following the end of a tenancy or a relationship or as a result of a family dispute. But, I really do welcome the real focus that the committee has put on homelessness in what is its most severe form. Talking to the people who I meet who are rough-sleepers or have had experience of rough-sleeping, I've heard harrowing accounts, as I know the committee has, in terms of family breakdown, domestic violence, mental ill health, financial problems, substance misuse and bereavement. These are all issues that can lead to the loss of a home and spiral, creating a vicious circle of rough-sleeping, which as we know is the most acute form of homelessness.

As the committee report recognises, the Housing (Wales) Act 2014 has made a significant difference in preventing homelessness across Wales and has been widely acclaimed for its preventative approach. In the last two years, since it began its implementation, we've prevented more than 14,000 households from becoming homeless, but we do recognise still that much more does need to be done. As we've set out in 'Prosperity for All', it's not acceptable that anyone should be forced to sleep on the streets in a prosperous society. As I set out earlier this year, my concerns are regarding the rise in numbers of people who are sleeping rough. I also set out the commitment of this Government to do all that we can to reverse that trend. I announced in February our action plan to tackle rough-sleeping, together with our housing-first guidance and principles document. The committee's report therefore is an extremely timely document in terms of helping us build the evidence base to inform the evolution and the implementation of that plan. 

My written response to the committee sets out our detailed reply to the 29 recommendations in the report. Whilst there are some differences around the preparatory work required before determining specific actions, the Government has accepted the majority of the committee's recommendations. I've previously set out to this Chamber my willingness to review the approach needed for priority need. As the committee acknowledges, it is important that any change to the current approach is only taken when all the implications of such a change are fully understood. So, I can confirm that we're already in the process of commissioning an independent assessment of the potential impact and unintended consequences of changing the current approach to priority need in order to inform the way forward. This also has implications for local connection. Consideration will also be given to that as part of the independent assessment.