6. Will the Minister provide an update on Welsh Government attempts to reduce levels of homelessness? OAQ54684

Yes. This Government is committed to tackling homelessness, in all its forms, in Wales. This commitment is supported by over £20 million this year alone. Our strategy, published last month, sets the policy framework for actions to prevent homelessness and, where it cannot be prevented, to ensure it is rare, brief and unrepeated.

I've received casework regarding homeless people in a desperate situation after presenting themselves to Rhondda Cynon Taf council, only to be fobbed off. I know of a local charity helping homeless people that are having similar experiences. Now, the council usually say that they have no legal obligation to house people if they aren't a priority. They add that the only way to be treated as a priority is if the person is a threat to themselves, the general public or if they have mental health issues or medical issues.

Back last month, I asked you in a committee session if we could raise cases directly with you when the local authority has fobbed someone off in this way, and you replied unequivocally with a 'yes'. Yet, when I e-mailed you subsequently about a man who was homeless after being a victim of domestic abuse and had already been turned away by Rhondda Cynon Taf council, you wrote back to me saying, and I quote,

'Welsh Ministers are unable to intervene in individual cases, as Local Authorities have responsibility for addressing housing needs within their area.'

So, can you clear up with me today, once and for all, whether the Welsh Government can intervene when a local authority turns its back on homeless people or any other cases involving people in a crisis situation?

Yes, well, the letter goes on to say,

'However, my officials have been in touch with Rhondda Cynon Taf County Borough Council regarding the issues you raise. I am able to offer the following advice.'

And then there are several more paragraphs of the advice that we were able to offer. I'm sorry if that wasn't what you were expecting, but, obviously, we can't do individual casework from the Government. We have, however, been in touch with Rhondda Cynon Taf, as the letter makes very plain to you. It offers a range of services to your constituency office, setting out what is available, and I know that the officials had quite a long conversation with the officers at Rhondda Cynon Taf about that case and the general themes that it raised. So, that's what I had in mind when I spoke to you. Obviously, I can't take on individual case load as a Government Minister. But officials had had that conversation with Rhondda Cynon Taf, and if there are things that arise generally out of your casework that you think are going wrong in a council, I'm more than happy to get the officials to contact the council and just make sure that they are working within both the spirit and the letter of the law.

Minister, winter will soon be upon us once again, and it looks like it's going to be a bad one. What support is your Government going to give to the local authorities and delivery partners in the third sector to help rough-sleepers in particular?

As I just said, we've invested over £20 million in preventing and relieving homelessness this year alone. The funding supports a range of statutory and non-statutory services to help those who do not have a secure place to live. The strategic policy statement was published on 8 October and sets out the policy framework and principles this Government will take to tackle and prevent homelessness. Our strategy is very much focused around a person-centred, trauma-informed response that involves all public services in meeting the needs of those who actually find themselves at risk of being or actually homeless.