Oral Answers to Questions Debate
Full Debate: Read Full DebateDepartment: Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government
Lee Dillon
Main Page: Lee Dillon (Liberal Democrat - Newbury)Department Debates - View all Lee Dillon's debates with the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government
(1 week, 5 days ago)
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Rushanara Ali
The Vagrancy Act is antiquated and no longer fit for purpose. No one should be criminalised for sleeping rough on the streets. We want to ensure that we avoid criminalising the most vulnerable, while also ensuring that the police and local authorities have the tools they need to make communities feel safe. We are currently considering our next steps.
Mr Lee Dillon (Newbury) (LD)
Will the Government look at redefining affordable housing in national policy so that it is pegged to average local income rather than at the whim of an overheated housing market?
Matthew Pennycook
We did make changes to some of the definitions around affordable housing in the recently revised national planning policy framework, by separating out the definition of social rent, but I hear the hon. Gentleman’s concerns. I will certainly bear them in mind as we develop policy.