9. Statement by the Minister for Social Justice: Update on Ukraine

Part of the debate – in the Senedd at 5:37 pm on 22 November 2022.

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Photo of Jane Hutt Jane Hutt Labour 5:37, 22 November 2022

Thank you very much, Peter Fox, and can I thank Monmouthshire County Council and other local authorities that are using this provision? They have got a provision to provide the guarantor scheme bonds. People accessing private rented sector accommodation will be aware of this. I will ask my colleague, the Minister for Climate Change, Julie James, about the application process documentation—where this lies in terms of responsibility.

I think that this is part of, also, local authorities’ ability with the £6 million that has gone from the Welsh Government to help prevent homelessness. Actually, what’s important now is that we are looking at everybody who is in housing need. We need to treat them with parity. So, I think that this is part of the funding and the guidance to enable them to do that. So, I will certainly take that back and look at this.

I have already mentioned the routes to onward accommodation. We have got a framework for accommodation that has been drafted with the local authorities. In fact, I have been meeting with leaders of local authorities every two or three weeks. We have been sharing best practice. They had a seminar on 8 November. They are working closely with us, and we are doing everything that we can to lever in, not only flexible guidance, but funding to enable people to move on. As you say, people want to be independent, but rent levels are really very prohibitive in many areas of Wales.

So, this is something that I will also be raising with the Minister on Thursday, because we need to look at ways in which they can support us. The First Minister also raised with the Chancellor the need for more support for local housing allowance and discretionary housing payments, because that would also help local authorities with these arrangements.