Meetings
NDM7167 Welsh Conservatives Debate - Tackling Homelessness
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Meeting: 23/10/2019 - Plenary - Fifth Senedd (Item 7)
Welsh Conservatives debate - Tackling Homelessness
NDM7167 Darren
Millar (Clwyd West)
To propose that the National Assembly for
Wales:
1. Recognises that current policies to
tackle homelessness and rough sleeping are falling short of what is required.
2. Commends the good practice that is to be
found in the sector and welcomes the establishment of the Welsh Government’s
Homelessness Action Group.
3. Notes that:
a) there were 25 identified deaths of
homeless people in Wales in 2018, a notable increase from the 11 identified
deaths in 2017;
b) 25,937 people experienced homelessness
across Wales in 2017/18, according to figures by Shelter Cymru;
c) between 2012 and 2017 the number of
people sleeping rough in Wales increased by 75 per cent, and the number
sleeping in cars, tents and on public transport increased by 50 per cent
according to research by Crisis and Heriot-Watt University;
4. Further notes the Welsh Conservatives 10
point action plan to tackle homelessness: ‘More than a Refuge’;
5.Calls on the Welsh Government to appoint
a homelessness tsar, ideally someone who has lived experience of homelessness
and who can scrutinise the progress towards ending homelessness in Wales.
Welsh
Conservatives – More than a Refuge
The following amendments have been tabled:
Amendment 1 - Rebecca
Evans (Gower)
Delete all and replace with:
1. Recognises that there is always more
that can be done to tackle homelessness.
2. Commends the good practice that is to be
found in the housing sector in relation to homelessness including the
partnership work that supports the delivery of the Welsh Government’s Housing
First approach.
3. Welcomes the establishment and the first
report of the Welsh Government’s Homelessness Action Group developed in
partnership with the sector, including homelessness charities.
4. Notes:
a) That one homeless death is a tragedy.
b) The impact that austerity and welfare reform
has had on the numbers of people experiencing homelessness.
5. Further notes the Welsh Government’s
Strategy for Preventing and Ending Homelessness and public sector pledge
campaign.
Homelessness
Action Group: Report October 2019
Strategy
for Preventing and Ending Homelessness
[If Amendment 1 is agreed amendments 2 – 7
will be de-selected]
Amendment 2 - Neil
McEvoy (South Wales Central)
Add as new point after point 1 and renumber
accordingly:
Believes that the failure of all Welsh
Governments over the past 20 years to resolve homelessness in Wales is a
national disgrace.
Amendment 3 - Neil
McEvoy (South Wales Central)
Delete point 2.
Amendment 4 - Neil
McEvoy (South Wales Central)
Add as new point after point 2 and renumber
accordingly:
Believes that duplication of service,
inflated salaries amongst senior managers in the third sector, combined with
cuts to local government in Wales is making an already bad homelessness
situation worse.
Amendment 5 - Rhun
ap Iorwerth (Ynys Môn)
Insert as new sub-point at end of point 3:
'these trends have been noted in England,
which has also experienced a rise in the number of deaths of rough sleepers.'
Amendment 6 - Rhun
ap Iorwerth (Ynys Môn)
Delete points 4 and 5.
In accordance
with Standing Order 12.23 (iii), amendment 7 has not been selected.
Amendment 8 - Rhun
ap Iorwerth (Ynys Môn)
Add as new point at end of motion:
Recognises that the UK Government’s cuts to
social security have contributed towards the increase in homelessness, as was
predicted to happen by the sector.
Amendment 9 - Rhun
ap Iorwerth (Ynys Môn)
Add as new point at end of motion:
Regrets that priority need wasn’t phased
out in favour of a general duty to secure safe accommodation during the Housing
(Wales) Act 2014, and believes this was a missed opportunity.
Amendment 10 - Rhun
ap Iorwerth (Ynys Môn)
Add as new point at end of motion:
Calls on the UK Government to adopt the
recommendations of the Crisis report on ending homelessness that apply to
non-devolved policy areas, and calls on the Welsh Government to implement the
recommendations of the crisis report that apply to its areas of responsibility.
Crisis
- Everybody In - How to end homelessness in Great Britain
Amendment 11 - Rhun
ap Iorwerth (Ynys Môn)
Add as new point at end of motion:
Ensure that the Vagrancy Act 1824 is
operationally disapplied in all police force areas in Wales in order to avoid
criminalising homeless people for rough-sleeping and begging.
Amendment 12 - Rhun
ap Iorwerth (Ynys Môn)
Add as new point at end of motion:
As well as providing housing, calls on the
Welsh Government to also ensure proper service provision for people at risk of
homelessness, such as people with mental health problems, learning
disabilities, problematic substance users, people with ADHD and
neurodevelopmental disorders, prisoners, veterans, childhood sexual abuse and
domestic abuse survivors and those with adverse childhood experiences.
Amendment 13 - Neil
McEvoy (South Wales Central)
Add as new point at end of motion:
Calls on the Welsh Government to declare a
homelessness emergency and put forward housing first policies to take people
off the streets.
Amendment 14 - Neil
McEvoy (South Wales Central)
Add as new point at end of motion:
Calls on the Welsh Government to prioritise
local need in dealing with homelessness.
Amendment 15 - Neil
McEvoy (South Wales Central)
Add as new point at end of motion:
Calls on the Welsh Government to instigate
a root and branch review of all public money spent in the housing sector in
order to tackle homelessness.
Minutes:
The
item started at 17.34
Voting
on the motion and amendments under this item was deferred until Voting Time.
A
vote was taken on the motion without amendment:
NDM7167 Darren Millar (Clwyd West)
To
propose that the National Assembly for Wales:
1.
Recognises that current policies to tackle homelessness and rough sleeping are
falling short of what is required.
2.
Commends the good practice that is to be found in the sector and welcomes the
establishment of the Welsh Government’s Homelessness Action Group.
3.
Notes that:
a)
there were 25 identified deaths of homeless people in Wales in 2018, a notable
increase from the 11 identified deaths in 2017;
b)
25,937 people experienced homelessness across Wales in 2017/18, according to
figures by Shelter Cymru;
c)
between 2012 and 2017 the number of people sleeping rough in Wales increased by
75 per cent, and the number sleeping in cars, tents and on public transport
increased by 50 per cent according to research by Crisis and Heriot-Watt
University;
4.
Further notes the Welsh Conservatives 10 point action plan to tackle
homelessness: ‘More than a Refuge’;
5.
Calls on the Welsh Government to appoint a homelessness tsar, ideally someone
who has lived experience of homelessness and who can scrutinise the progress
towards ending homelessness in Wales.
For |
Abstain |
Against |
Total |
11 |
1 |
35 |
47 |
The motion without amendment was not
agreed.
The
following amendments were tabled:
Amendment
1 - Rebecca Evans (Gower)
Delete
all and replace with:
1.
Recognises that there is always more that can be done to tackle
homelessness.
2.
Commends the good practice that is to be found in the housing sector in
relation to homelessness including the partnership work that supports the
delivery of the Welsh Government’s Housing First approach.
3.
Welcomes the establishment and the first report of the Welsh Government’s
Homelessness Action Group developed in partnership with the sector, including
homelessness charities.
4.
Notes:
a)
That one homeless death is a tragedy.
b)
The impact that austerity and welfare reform has had on the numbers of people
experiencing homelessness.
5.
Further notes the Welsh Government’s Strategy for Preventing and Ending
Homelessness and public sector pledge campaign.
A
vote was taken on amendment 1:
For |
Abstain |
Against |
Total |
26 |
0 |
22 |
48 |
Amendment 1 was agreed.
As
amendment 1 was agreed, amendments 2-6 were de-selected
In
accordance with Standing Order 12.23 (iii), amendment 7 was not selected.
Amendment
8 - Rhun ap Iorwerth (Ynys Môn)
Add
as new point at end of motion:
Recognises
that the UK Government’s cuts to social security have contributed towards the
increase in homelessness, as was predicted to happen by the sector.
A
vote was taken on amendment 8:
For |
Abstain |
Against |
Total |
37 |
3 |
8 |
48 |
Amendment 8 was agreed.
Amendment
9 - Rhun ap Iorwerth (Ynys Môn)
Add as new point at end of motion:
Regrets that priority need wasn’t phased out in
favour of a general duty to secure safe accommodation during the Housing
(Wales) Act 2014, and believes this was a missed opportunity.
A
vote was taken on amendment 9:
For |
Abstain |
Against |
Total |
11 |
0 |
37 |
48 |
Amendment 9 was not agreed.
Amendment
10 - Rhun ap Iorwerth (Ynys Môn)
Add as new point at end of motion:
Calls on the UK Government to adopt the
recommendations of the Crisis report on ending homelessness that apply to
non-devolved policy areas, and calls on the Welsh Government to implement the
recommendations of the crisis report that apply to its areas of responsibility.
A
vote was taken on amendment 10:
For |
Abstain |
Against |
Total |
40 |
8 |
0 |
48 |
Amendment 10 was agreed.
Amendment
11 - Rhun ap Iorwerth (Ynys Môn)
Add as new point at end of motion:
Ensure that the Vagrancy Act 1824 is operationally
disapplied in all police force areas in Wales in order to avoid criminalising
homeless people for rough-sleeping and begging.
A
vote was taken on amendment 11:
For |
Abstain |
Against |
Total |
46 |
2 |
0 |
48 |
Amendment 11 was agreed.
Amendment
12 - Rhun ap Iorwerth (Ynys Môn)
Add as new point at end of motion:
As well as providing housing, calls on the Welsh
Government to also ensure proper service provision for people at risk of
homelessness, such as people with mental health problems, learning
disabilities, problematic substance users, people with ADHD and
neurodevelopmental disorders, prisoners, veterans, childhood sexual abuse and
domestic abuse survivors and those with adverse childhood experiences.
A
vote was taken on amendment 12:
For |
Abstain |
Against |
Total |
48 |
0 |
0 |
48 |
Amendment 12 was agreed.
Amendment
13 - Neil McEvoy (South Wales Central)
Add as new point at end of motion:
Calls on the Welsh Government to declare a
homelessness emergency and put forward housing first policies to take people
off the streets.
A
vote was taken on amendment 13:
For |
Abstain |
Against |
Total |
14 |
0 |
34 |
48 |
Amendment 13 was not agreed.
Amendment
14 - Neil McEvoy (South Wales Central)
Add as new point at end of motion:
Calls on the Welsh Government to prioritise local
need in dealing with homelessness.
A
vote was taken on amendment 14:
For |
Abstain |
Against |
Total |
6 |
0 |
42 |
48 |
Amendment 14 was not agreed.
Amendment
15 - Neil McEvoy (South Wales Central)
Add as new point at end of motion:
Calls on the Welsh Government to instigate a root
and branch review of all public money spent in the housing sector in order to
tackle homelessness.
A
vote was taken on amendment 15:
For |
Abstain |
Against |
Total |
6 |
0 |
42 |
48 |
Amendment 15 was not agreed.
A
vote was taken on the motion as amended:
NDM7167 Darren Millar (Clwyd West)
To
propose that the National Assembly for Wales:
1.
Recognises that there is always more that can be done to tackle homelessness.
2.
Commends the good practice that is to be found in the housing sector in
relation to homelessness including the partnership work that supports the
delivery of the Welsh Government’s Housing First approach.
3.
Welcomes the establishment and the first report of the Welsh Government’s
Homelessness Action Group developed in partnership with the sector, including
homelessness charities.
4.
Notes:
a)
That one homeless death is a tragedy.
b)
The impact that austerity and welfare reform has had on the numbers of people
experiencing homelessness.
5.
Further notes the Welsh Government’s Strategy for Preventing and Ending
Homelessness and public sector pledge campaign.
6.
Recognises that the UK Government’s cuts to social security have contributed
towards the increase in homelessness, as was predicted to happen by the sector.
7. Calls on the UK Government to adopt the
recommendations of the Crisis report on ending homelessness that apply to
non-devolved policy areas, and calls on the Welsh Government to implement the
recommendations of the crisis report that apply to its areas of responsibility.
8. Ensures that the Vagrancy Act 1824 is
operationally disapplied in all police force areas in Wales in order to avoid
criminalising homeless people for rough-sleeping and begging.
9. As well as providing housing, calls on the Welsh
Government to also ensure proper service provision for people at risk of
homelessness, such as people with mental health problems, learning
disabilities, problematic substance users, people with ADHD and
neurodevelopmental disorders, prisoners, veterans, childhood sexual abuse and
domestic abuse survivors and those with adverse childhood experiences.
For |
Abstain |
Against |
Total |
29 |
8 |
11 |
48 |
The motion as amended was agreed.