Extract from Housing, communities and local government questions: Vagrancy Act - July 19
Tuesday, 20 July 2021 08:00
Layla Moran (Oxford West and Abingdon) (LD): The Everyone In scheme
has undoubtedly been a success and led to incredible stories of
lives being turned around in a housing-first approach that has
support from all sides of the House. However, several councils have
reported that the Government have instructed them, through the
terms of the rough sleeping initiative funding allocations, to end
the use of emergency accommodation for those sleeping rough, so
signalling the end of the Everyone In...Request free trial
(Oxford West
and Abingdon) (LD): The Everyone In scheme has
undoubtedly been a success and led to incredible stories of lives
being turned around in a housing-first approach that has support
from all sides of the House. However, several councils have
reported that the Government have instructed them, through the
terms of the rough sleeping initiative funding allocations, to end
the use of emergency accommodation for those sleeping rough, so
signalling the end of the Everyone In scheme. To make matters
worse, the rough sleeping strategy is still in need of updating
following the pandemic. Were local authorities instructed to end
Everyone In? If so, have charitable and third-sector groups been
made aware so that they can fill in the gaps? When can we expect to
see the updated rough sleeping strategy and, indeed, the promised
review of the Vagrancy Act
1824?
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Housing,
Communities and Local Government (): As is so often the case, the Lib Dems are
more focused on two things: making plans—rather than taking
action—and scaremongering. It is categorically not the case that
either charities or local councils have been instructed as the hon.
Member suggested. Indeed, funding through the rough sleeping
initiative continues to fund people in emergency accommodation.
More importantly, we should note that that is a temporary form of
accommodation and it is incredibly important that we get people
moved on to more permanent forms of accommodation. That should be
the objective of all of us.
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