"As someone who lived in social housing and whose eldest daughter was a squatter in Brixton and who got into social housing through squatting empty buildings and being involved in the squatting movement in the 1970s, I am very interested in using resources that are never used correctly. In the …..." Lord Bird - View Speech
"To ask His Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the potential of a national empty homes strategy to help to end homelessness...." Lord Bird - View Speech
"My Lords, I am very pleased that I am being given the opportunity to speak to these two interesting amendments, Amendments 89 and 90. They are very simple. They are nowhere near what I want to achieve in life, but they are, in a sense, a halt in a becoming. …..." Lord Bird - View Speech
"Shall I talk louder? The rain in Spain goes mainly down the drain. Sorry. Forgive me. Thank you. You are on my side.
Tony Blair or somebody in his Government had the idea that, if a house was empty for six months, it should be available for the local authority …..." Lord Bird - View Speech
"I will make my final comments. The noble Lord, Lord Jamieson, obviously does not know Peckham, because, if he did, he would know that the clock tower is very important for the well-being of people in Peckham, as there is not an awful lot to look at. I am sorry—I …..." Lord Bird - View Speech
"Are the Government aware that about 25% of those who fall into the NEET category are people who have been to university and have had further education or training?..." Lord Bird - View Speech
"The Minister says that he is ambitious, which I am pleased to hear, but where in government is work to prevent people ending up in prison? I cannot see it. I cannot see homelessness prevention, prison prevention or the exportation of poverty from people’s lives—90% of people in prison are …..." Lord Bird - View Speech
"I will speak to my Amendment 116. The Government are charging us all with getting behind the idea that there will be 1.5 million new houses by the end of the Parliament. I suggest that one way you could achieve that is by being serious about the number of empty …..." Lord Bird - View Speech