Today, we mark World Homeless Day. Since its foundation in 2010, World Homeless Day has been observed on every continent, with the obvious exception of Antarctica. The purpose of World Homeless Day is to draw attention to homeless people's needs locally, and provide opportunities for the community to get involved in responding to homelessness, while taking advantage of the stage created by an international day. So, I'm very pleased that we have this chance to mark it today.

There has been good progress in Wales on ending homelessness, including the homelessness prevention legislation that inspired similar measures in England, commitments on youth homelessness, and work to develop the housing first approach. But we still need a plan, to get everybody into a safe, stable home. Figures for Crisis, calculated by Heriot-Watt University's Professor Glen Bramley, found that 8,200 people across Wales are experiencing the worst forms of homelessness. This includes the main forms of homelessness, such as people who are stuck in crowded and unsafe places, in hostels and night shelters, sleeping on people's sofas and kitchen floors, or in cars, night buses, tents and, of course, alarmingly, out on the streets. If we carry on as we currently are, the Heriot-Watt research found that the number of homeless households is expected to almost double in the next 25 years across Britain. We must redouble our efforts, and ensure that we bring an end to this scourge.