Furthermore, this will place a permanent expectation on local government. During the height of the COVID pandemic, local authorities received supporting funds, such as the COVID recovery grant, to help them accomplish the new expectations placed on them, such as the huge numbers of people that needed temporary accommodation. These funds have since been stopped, yet the duties continue. Local authorities are crying out for assistance; they tell us that they simply don’t have the resources to fulfil these duties, but there’s nothing in today’s statement about funding to allow them to carry out these duties. So, can the Minister tell us what funding will be made available for local authorities in order for them to achieve these ambitions set out in the regulations?

Finally, as I mentioned earlier, these regulations have unintended consequences, which could lead to more people finding themselves sofa surfing or homeless—not rough-sleeping, maybe, but certainly living in cramped accommodations with extended family and friends. This is a real risk and one that you are clearly content with, and I understand that—that's what politics is about and you have to make a decision based on merit. That's why we welcome these steps today. But can the Minister please square the circle of why the Government is happy to implement this policy, with the very real risk of unintended consequences, yet is unwilling to freeze rents and ban evictions, which has similar risks and unintended consequences? Diolch.