🗣️ Speeches and Debates
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I start by thanking the hon. Member for Mitcham and Morden (Dame Siobhain McDonagh), both for securing this important debate and for raising such important issues. I was delighted to work with her and her APPG on the new homelessness code of guidance for cots in temporary accommodation, and I look forward to working with her on other matters. The whole House will agree that every child and...
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Yes, and I will go on to explain what the Government are doing. One of our schemes is the local authority housing fund, through which we have given £1.2 billion to local authorities so that they can build and purchase housing, both for recent arrivals such as Ukrainians and Afghans and for temporary accommodation. I believe that the hon. Lady’s Borough of Merton was a beneficiary in round...
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The local housing allowance has been uprated to the 30th percentile, which means people should be able to afford the bottom 30% of properties on that allowance; the intention is not that they can afford every property. The provision falls under the Department for Work and Pensions, but there is an ongoing commitment to review the local housing allowance. Ultimately, we all want to avoid...
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It is a pleasure to serve under your chairmanship, Dame Siobhain. I thank the House for assembling here to debate the very important topic of youth homelessness, and those in the Public Gallery who have come into Parliament today. I also thank the hon. Member for Liverpool, Wavertree (Paula Barker), who I know well as my shadow Minister, for her thoughtful contribution. I will address her...
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Rough sleeping has ticked up over the past year, but it is still down from the pre-pandemic numbers and the peaks in 2017. Clearly, every single person rough sleeping is one too many. We have particular issues in London with rough sleepers who have no recourse to public funds, and we encourage support for them, but that is an entrenched issue. The Government are working to address any new...
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Well, we will see what the electorate decide tomorrow. One thing that is very clear is that in 2022, London was the worst-performing region for housing delivery and the west midlands was No. 1. Let me get to the substance of my speech. We can all agree that every young person, no matter where in the country they live, no matter what their personal circumstances may be, deserves a roof over...
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Today, the Government published the third Annual Transparency Report of our engagement with the devolved administrations on GOV.UK. This Report has been laid as a Command Paper in both Houses. The Government has also published the fourth Quarterly Transparency Report Dashboard for 2023, also on GOV.UK. The Annual Report follows on from each of the Quarterly Dashboards published on GOV.UK...
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The Government are committed to ending rough sleeping. We published our cross-government strategy “Ending rough sleeping for good” in September 2022, and we are investing an unprecedented £2.4 billion to tackle homelessness and rough sleeping over three years. Rough sleeping levels were 18% lower in 2023 than they were at the peak in 2017 and they were 9% lower than pre-pandemic levels.
More of Felicity Buchan's speeches and debates
✍️ Written Questions and Answers
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It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.
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It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.
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It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.
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It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.
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It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.
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It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.
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It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.
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It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.
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