Part of the debate – in the Senedd at 3:46 pm on 10 May 2022.
I speak as someone who was brought up in a council house. I very warmly welcome this statement. The original Welsh housing quality standard has worked, and has worked very well. It has driven up the quality of social housing in Wales, both council and registered social landlords, or, as I normally call them, housing associations. It goes back to 2002, which is 20 years ago. Are those properties that had new kitchens and bathrooms over 15 years ago now having them replaced or updated?
I believe anti-poverty should be the driving force of all Government policies, and I would like to see more Government discussion of how everything they do is anti-poverty. I think that the reason the party I belong to came into existence was to fight against poverty. Does the Minister accept we're currently creating a two-tier system for rented housing, social housing and privately rented housing? Does the Minister intend bringing in a housing quality standard for privately rented accommodation, some of which is in a much poorer state than council and housing association housing?