Rough Sleeping and Good Growth Funds

Gavin Williamson Excerpts

Monday 26th October 2026 Commons Chamber

[Florence Eshalomi]

I thank my hon. Friend and constituency neighbour for her comments and support. We were able to visit an organisation in Victoria in her constituency a few weeks ago, a fantastic charity called Change Please, to speak to people who have been helped. It offers people who are sleeping rough and facing homelessness an employment opportunity and vital skills so that they can provide for themselves and secure their rent and accommodation. We want such initiatives rolled out across the country, giving people who are sleeping rough and facing homelessness another chance. On her question about people with no local connections, this is an area that many local authorities continue to raise with us. We are having more discussions with them, especially with colleagues in the Ministry of Justice and the Home Office. On her question about the funding package, this is an area we will continue to explore. I hope she will continue to engage with Ministry officials on that.

[Sir Gavin Williamson (Stone, Great Wyrley and Penkridge) (Con)]

I invite the Minister to join me on a tour of the beautiful town of Stone in my constituency. As we walk down the high street, she will see the grade II* listed Crown Hotel, which is sadly slowly degrading because the owners are not putting in the investment that is required. To me, the good growth fund sounds like a brilliant opportunity for Stafford borough council to look at compulsory purchasing that building and ensuring that the investment required to bring it back to life is put in. However, we do not have elected mayors in Staffordshire, so how can authorities such as Stafford borough council access this money to deliver growth and investment in our town centres?

[Florence Eshalomi]

The right hon. Gentleman raises a valid point about areas without mayoral strategic authorities. We are ensuring that we can work with local councils. We continue to engage with areas without mayoral strategic authorities so that they, too, will not lose out on this vital funding. I ask him to continue to engage and ensure that his authority gets that funding.