4. Statement by the Minister for Housing and Local Government: Homelessness

Part of the debate – in the Senedd at 4:07 pm on 8 October 2019.

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Photo of Julie James Julie James Labour 4:07, 8 October 2019

Yes, I completely agree with that last point. Mike Hedges is very well aware that we've been putting an increased amount of money into the proper kind of supply. I recently visited a very good innovative housing project in his own constituency, which he has, I know, been very supportive of, with a view to us getting the supply of good-quality social housing to where it needs to be. And it's not about all-tenure housing, it is about the right kind of tenure housing and in the right place as well. So, I absolutely accept that point. Until we have the supply side sorted out, we will always be juggling with demand that can't be met. My colleague Lee Waters is also working with me on a series of innovative programmes around taking empty properties back into beneficial use as well, and I'm very keen to roll that out across Wales. And Mike Hedges will be delighted to know that Swansea Council is looking very positively at that scheme in his own patch—and my own patch, for that matter, as well.

Last week, I had the real pleasure of going with the Wallich to one of their breakfast runs in Swansea to see for myself the good work that the third sector does on the ground for supporting people. And these are not necessarily people who are rough-sleeping, but they are people who have inadequate or insecure housing. And they are just as homeless, really, as the people who are on the street. So, we do need to have a whole-system approach to homelessness prevention, working across the Government, as I said earlier, with mental health, substance misuse, community safety and primary care to deliver a public service model that addresses the needs of everyone.