Speeches by Ali.

“Yes, and of course the capital receipts that can be used from right to buy, which is something that we have announced in this Government, is an additional resource allocation that is now available to local authorities.”

“It is really important that we get to a point where we do not have to use emergency accommodation for homeless families and we eliminate the use of bed-and-breakfast accommodation. The condition and the circumstances in which children and families find themselves, with inappropriate cooking facilities and all sorts of …”

“These are the ones with the highest. Penny, do you want to add anything on that?”

“There are things that can be done. The first step is to support local authorities to get out of that situation. That means working closely with the homelessness advisory teams and developing plans. I have seen evidence, including in my own local authority, where actually they have gone down to zero in terms of interven…”

“You are absolutely right. As I say, as an MP dealing with constituents who are placed in bed-and-breakfast accommodation, for me, it is an absolute must that we bring down and eliminate the number of people who are in bed and breakfast. We are working with local authorities. We are seeing the impact of the work that is…”

“We inherited a really difficult set of circumstances in terms of the number of people who are homeless in our country. I know that we will come on to rough sleeping. Between June 2023 and 2024, there was a 50% increase in the number of households with children staying in B&Bs. It is not acceptable, but that is what we …”

“To take the last one first, the statutory six-week limit applies to privately managed B&B accommodation. That includes shared accommodation. Councils have no control over who else is placed in that kind of accommodation and we know that that can put families in a vulnerable position. That is why the first priority is t…”

“That is the position of the Department.”

“Local authorities have safeguarding duties. They have a wide range of statutory duties, including for vulnerable children and families. This links to out-of-area placements as well for those who are vulnerable.”

“There are a number of existing requirements and provisions that local authorities need to follow, be that in relation to standards, safeguarding and so on, making sure that, where they are placing, including bed-and-breakfast accommodation, those they have a duty and responsibility over, they follow those obligations.”

“The legislation is very clear that councils should place families, those they are responsible for, within their local area in the first instance. You will appreciate that, going back to the housing pressures, that is not always possible. I recognise that it is a growing problem. The Deputy Prime Minister recognises tha…”

“As I say, the Deputy Prime Minister has already contacted local authorities, making clear what their responsibilities are.”

“We will continue to monitor the situation. I know that there is strong interest here in Parliament. As a London MP, I do not want to speak for other colleagues, but I do not want my constituents to be placed far away. Indeed, in my own constituency there was a big campaign locally to stop the local council from placing…”

“We want to see local authorities prioritising keeping people in their localities. That is the message that has been made very clear by the Deputy Prime Minister. I am making that clear today. However, we also recognise that, in certain circumstances, because of a shortage, local authorities do not have the option of ho…”

“My colleague attended the committee hearings.”

“There is not enough housing because there was not enough housebuilding. That is the legacy we have inherited. We are not going to be able to fix this overnight, but we are determined to address it. London has huge housing pressures. If you look at the temporary accommodation numbers, you will see that they are signific…”

“We know that safeguarding is absolutely paramount. We have seen evidence of the consequences where the quality of housing and condition of housing, if it is in poor condition, can be fatal. That is why the changes that are being made in the Renters’ Rights Bill, in terms of the quality of housing, tackling damp and poo…”

“These are really important points. As you were speaking, I was thinking about the work we are doing on supported housing, for instance, where we have seen well-documented cases of the women fleeing domestic violence ending up being placed in particular kinds of housing with children and then along with others, and it i…”

“This is where the Department’s approach of us working with mayors and council leaders and officials working with their counterparts is really important. Having the strategic discussions through the inter-ministerial group and these expert groups is really helpful, because I often raise issues as we go along. I am not j…”

“We have seen some examples. I think that Rochdale Borough Council is doing that. I know that there is a campaign here in Parliament with colleagues looking at that. Anything that can be done to ensure that there is proper communication and information sharing between councils needs to happen. I will look closely at tha…”