Ministers and officials to be questioned on supported housing funding changes

Ministers and officials from the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) and Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG) and will be questioned at the final session of a joint inquiry into the Government’s proposed reform of supported housing funding.

The House of Commons Work and Pensions and Communities and Local Government Committees will question Local Government Minister Marcus Jones MP and Welfare Delivery Minister Caroline Nokes MP at the public session on Tuesday 28 March at 3.45pm. They will be joined by Peter Searle, DWP’s Director of Working Age Benefits, and John Hall, DCLG’s Deputy Director for the Housing Support.

The session will examine how the Government will ensure that areas with lower rental rates are not disadvantaged by the proposed changes and whether an entirely separate funding mechanism is needed for short-term supported housing. The Committees will also consider what barriers supported housing tenants face in finding work and moving on to general needs accommodation.

Witnesses schedule: Tuesday 28 March, Committee Room15, Palace of Westminster

At 3.45pm:

• ·         Marcus Jones MP, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Minister for Local Government)
• ·         Caroline Nokes MP, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Welfare Delivery
• ·         John Hall, Deputy Director for the Housing Support, DCLG
• ·         Peter Searle, Director, Working Age Benefits, DWP