Agenda and minutes

View the meeting transcript.

1.1 The Committee discussed the Committee’s Forward Work Programme

2.1 The Committee discussed the draft letter.

3.1 The Chair welcomed Members and members of the public.

3.2 Apologies received from Rhodri Glyn Thomas and Janet Finch-Saunders.

Carl Sargeant, Minister for Housing and Regeneration

Welsh Government Officials

Housing (Wales) Bill

Explanatory Memorandum

4.1 The Committee took evidence from Carl Sargeant, Minister for Housing and Regeneration.

4.2 The Minister agreed to provide the following:

·       information on the differences between the existing registration and licensing scheme for the private rented sector in Scotland and the proposed scheme for Wales provided for in the Bill;

·       a note on electrical safety standards for the private rented sector to be included in the Code of Practice provided for in section 28;

·       a copy of the report by Cardiff University (which provided evidence that the duration which a person is considered threatened with homelessness should be increased to 56 days);

·       a note on how the cost of enforcing the proposed registration and licensing scheme would be met, in light of the ruling by the Court of Appeal on the case of Hemming & Others v Westminster City Council;

·       clarity on the meaning of ‘vulnerable’ in section 55(1)(j) in relation to people who have served a custodial sentence;

·       clarity on why the category for priority need in section 55(1)(c)(i) does not include reference to mental illness, given that it is included in the existing categories set out in the Housing Act 1996;

·       clarity on the existing regulation and inspection regime for homeless hostels;

·       clarity on the legal meaning and/or effect of the term ‘for example’ in section 55(1)(c)(i);

·       a note on reciprocal arrangements between local authorities for housing homeless people; and

·       a local authority breakdown of the housing-related borrowing limit to include existing borrowing and the new debt to fund the buy-out from the Housing Revenue Account Subsidy Scheme.

4.3The Committee requested a legal briefing on the definition of vulnerability.

5.1 Papers to note.