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

Part of the debate – in the Senedd at 4:18 pm on 3 June 2020.

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Photo of John Griffiths John Griffiths Labour 4:18, 3 June 2020

Minister, as you know, the committee that I chair, the Equality, Local Government and Communities Committee has taken a particular interest in rough sleeping and Welsh Government policy. Indeed, we've done two reports in this Assembly, one at the end of last year on specialist services with regard to mental health and substance misuse, and one the year before more generally. So, having given that priority and focus to rough sleeping as a committee, it's very pleasing indeed to see this progress at a time of crisis, as you've stated, and it does show that even in the midst of responding to such a crisis, it is possible to salvage some positives from the general misery, as it were, and it's really, really important to do that to show that there is some room for optimism. So, I do think that you and Welsh Government deserve a lot of congratulations for this funding and this policy, working together with key partners such as the local authorities, the health sector, the third sector, registered social landlords and voluntary organisations. I think it really has been a team effort and I think that, again, reflects one of the challenges and more positive responses through the pandemic, which has seen organisations, communities and sectors pulling together for the common good, recognising the scale of the progress that we need to make and the challenge that we face. So, it really is very, very good to see all of that. As a community, we were looking—